


Jesse’s Girl

by Libby_Burk99



Category: Burn Notice
Genre: Burn Notice - Freeform, Burn notice with original characters, F/M, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Violence, original - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23029465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Libby_Burk99/pseuds/Libby_Burk99
Summary: Burn Notice with added characters and different storyline, in the perspective of an original character named Cassie. This takes place shortly after Jesse joins the team.
Relationships: Jesse Porter/Cassie, Michael Weston/Fiona Glenanne, Sam Axe/Elsa
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work I’ve ever posted so be gentle...  
> But let me know what you think :)  
> Disclaimer: Characters belong to USA Network I do not own rights to them, please don’t sue me I’m poor.

I sat cross-legged on the counter, leaning up against the wall. My laptop sat directly in front of me as I tried to stay out of the argument among my friends. Michael and Sam stood on one side of the island and Jesse and Fiona sat on the other side. We were in Michael’s loft discussing Jesse’s new ‘position’ within the team. Sam didn’t think Jesse could be trusted given how much he hated Michael. Fiona was on Jesse’s side, pointing out that shooting someone, granted just in the shoulder, does help alleviate hatred. The back and forth had been going on for over two hours, according to the timer I set on my laptop. I took in a deep breath letting it out in a loud sigh.  
“Yes, Cassie?” Michael raised an eyebrow at me “Finally something to say?”  
“So I’ve been collecting all the data from this conversation over the past two hours,” Jesse looked at the clock above my head and his forehead wrinkled.  
“and I can say, you’re all insane. So what Jesse shot a bad guy through you. You did burn him.” I raised my eyebrows at Michael. “And Fiona is right shooting someone does help with anger. But Sam also makes a good point. He...we don’t know Jesse that well so we don’t know if he holds on to grudges or lets the past be the past. I guess we’ll just have to give this a trial run and see how it works.” Everyone looked at the counter, except Jesse, he looked at me.  
“Wow,” he started “That’s the most I’ve ever heard you say. I was starting to think you were a mute.”  
“Don’t get any ideas funny man.” I pointed at him “I’m the comic relief around here.”  
Sam gave me a look.  
”Alcohol jokes get old fast Sam.” Fiona winked at me and I went back to my computer. 

The next day Me, Sam, and Fiona were sitting at The Carlito waiting for Jesse to show up. Fiona convinced Michael to rest for a few days, so that left the rest of us to take care of business. Jesse arrived five minutes early, Michael would call this horribly late, but I didn’t care so moving on.  
“Sam, Fi, Cass.” He greeted as he sat down.  
”Does she ever actually look around at the world or is her face always buried in that thing?” He asked throwing a thumb towards my computer.  
“Cassie is our techy.” Fi answered “She takes care of us, don’t forget that.”  
I peaked over my screen at Jesse, he sipped his drink through through a straw, peering at me over the top of his sunglasses. I bit my lip and got back to work. Sam and Fi filled Jesse in on out current “job” we were helping someone escape a bad relationship, like Mafia bad. We had to get into the local pharmacy to steal some drugs to plant in lead Mafia boy’s car.  
“Here are your fake IDs to get you past lab security,” I handed the badges to Fi and Jesse “And here’s a list of what I need.”  
Jesse took the list. “Need for what exactly?”  
“To make some illegal drugs man, keep up.” Sam snapped  
“You know how to do that?”  
I nodded  
“She’s a PharmD dropout, she did pre but didn’t go professional. Lucky for us.” Fi smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

A month went by the same ole same ole. Me and Jesse were partnered together alot since Michael called the shots and he always wanted to go with Fi and Sam was Mr. lone wolf. I found myself not minding though after a while. Jesse made me laugh and I felt safe with him, possibly because he was the biggest of the five of us but whatever.  
“We always get the boring stake outs.” I groaned. My converse clad feet propped up on the dash, with binoculars to my eyes.  
“That’s not complaining I hear?”  
I looked over at him.  
“More like whining.” I giggled.  
He just shakes his head.  
“Seriously though, Michael and Fiona always get to play the super cool bad guys while we sit here and watch the pool boys.”  
“Oh, I figured you liked that part.”  
“Not my type.” I grunt peering back through my binoculars.  
“What is your type?”  
“Old guy with a briefcase.”  
“What?” Jesse wrinkled his forehead  
“Old guy with a briefcase walking towards the house!” I hit his arm.  
He quickly picked up the walkie-talkie.  
“Hey Mike, he’s here.”  
“Copy.” Michael’s voice came through the walkie.  
“Finally we can go get food.” I sighed.  
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”  
I looked back towards the house. Mike and Fi, followed by a group of thugs with guns, ran out in to the street. Fi looked right at us before Sam pulled up and they jumped in with him. The thugs shot after them before their attention turned to us.  
“Uh oh, Jesse go!” I yelled.  
He looked behind us. “Boxed in.”  
“What do we do?” I could feel myself start to panic. The thugs were making their way through the cars in front of us. Jesse threw the look-out gear in the back, and grabbed my arm.  
“What?” I gaped at him. “We can’t run from them.”  
“Not exactly what I had in mind.” He leaned towards me, wrapped his hands around my waist, and pulled me on to his lap. One of my legs on either side of his hips. Thank God I hadn’t worn a skirt.  
“Lean in!” He hissed.  
I wrapped my arms around his neck and put my face in to his neck, closing my eyes. Holy crap he smelled so good up close. I heard boots stomping past us and men calling  
‘false alarm’.  
Jesse waited a few minutes then called the coast clear. I leaned away from, him still on his lap.  
“Good... I mean fast... idea.” Stupid “Um, I mean good idea.” I mumbled.  
“Yeah... PDA makes people uncomfortable right?”  
“Oh, yeah... sure.” I nodded softly “This is a nice shirt.” I say rubbing the material between my thumb and finger.  
“Uh huh.” He breathes. “Maybe we should get out of here now.”  
“Yeah.” I slide off him and sit in the passenger seat. His forehead wrinkles as he slowly and carefully moves his Porsche on to the road. 

We got back to Michael’s loft and Jesse immediately started chewing Michael and Fiona out.  
“What the hell was that?” He yelled stomping through the door. I gently closed the door behind me as I slipped in after him. The arguing started and I headed upstairs to my half converted office, half bomb making factory. There weren’t any walls but I liked being further away from the fighting. I heard the door open and Sam came up the stairs a few minutes later beer in hand.  
“Some people woke up on the wrong side of the cave this morning.” He sat on the couch “What happened?”  
“Apparently covers were blown and Fi almost got us caught with a rookie mistake.”  
“Good thing I brought more beer then huh?”  
“I’m sure.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Jesse isn’t really mad, he’s still just using any excuse to fight with Mike.” I looked down at them, more so at Jesse. What happened in the car was just Jesse saving us, but it felt different to me. I almost regret not just kissing him. What are you saying Cass? Stop just stop.  
“Did you hear anything I just said?” Sam asked snapping his fingers next to my ear.  
“Huh” I snapped my head towards him. “What... sorry.”  
“Whatever kid, I’ll let you get back to work.” He sat back and sipped his beer.  
I was working for awhile when I heard my name from the group downstairs.  
“So why can’t me and Cassie go? You two obviously can’t go back.” Jesse was saying.  
“Cassie doesn’t really do the up close and personal work.” Fi mumbled.  
“You just can’t stand that we might be heroes for once!” Jesse shot at Mike.  
“No!” Michael’s voice got louder. “It’s because someone could recognize her!” He slammed a fist on the counter.  
I shot Mike a dirty look, which he met then quickly looked down.  
“What?” Jesse looked up at me. “Why would someone...”  
“I didn’t... never mind. I’ll think of something else just give me time.” Mike grabbed his keys and walked out the door, leaving Jesse and Fiona staring after him.  
“What just happened?”  
“Yogurt?” Fiona offered from the fridge.  
“No, I think I’ll go home.” Jesse grabbed his backpack from the floor. “You need a ride Cass?”  
I looked back at Sam, curled up on the couch still clutching his beer.  
“Yeah,” I called down. “Let me grab my stuff.”  
“I’ll wait in the car.”  
I gathered my things. Fi waited at the bottom of the stairs.  
“Sorry.” She half winced.  
“It wasn’t your fault.” I let her hug me then headed down to Jesse’s running car. I silently slid in putting my stuff on my lap.  
“Here I’ll get that.” Jesse reached for my bag but got my hand instead.  
“Sorry.” He barely whispered, not releasing my hand.  
“No, it’s ok.” I mumbled, gently running my fingers over his skin. His hands were rough and I could feel where scars were or used to be. He half smiled at me then finally took my bag, heaving it to the backseat. He drove with one hand, resting the other on the middle console. I couldn’t help glancing at him wanting to hold his hand some more. We made the thirty minute drive in what felt like two. I honestly didn’t want to go in to my apartment and be all alone.  
“Here we are.” He pulled up beside the stairs that led up to my place.  
“Thanks Jesse.” I said getting out.  
“Hey Cass?”  
“Yeah?” I said holding the door open.  
“Am I ever going to get an explanation?”  
“Maybe.” I said and grinned at him before I shut the door and spun around.  
He revved the engine before speeding off.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day we met up back at Mike and Fi’s place. I could tell Jesse was still upset from the day before, and I was hoping Michael had everything figured out.  
“I have everything figured out!” Michael smiled as we walked in.  
“Lay it on us.” I said throwing my bag on the bed.  
“I won’t bore you with the details of our mission.” He gestured to himself, Fi, and Sam. “I will however tell you about your” he gestured to me and Jesse “exciting, totally unrelated job.”  
“Wait a second...” Jesse held up his hands.  
“Here we go.” I mumbled sitting at the island.  
“Just hear me out.” Michael cocked his head and Jesse finally nodded.  
“We’ll finish up with the boring foreign tycoons, sex scandal, blackmail, blah blah, whatever. You two get to handle this way more exciting thing all by yourselves...so all the credit.”  
“Yeah get on with it Michael.” I rolled my eyes.  
“You remember Sugar, right?”  
I put my face in my hands and groaned.  
“Who’s Sugar?” Jesse asked.  
“Michael’s old, drug dealing neighbor.” Sam cut in.  
Michael smiled. “Anyways, Sugar’s getting squeezed. Apparently he owes some guy money, that he never had, and no said guy wants to kill him.”  
“And what are we supposed to do about that?” I grumbled.  
“You’ll have to figure it out. But I chose you,” he glared at me “because this certain someone is out of New York, no Florida ties.”  
“Not to mention Sugar has a creepy crush on her.” Fiona scoffed.  
“Sugar has. Creepy crush on every female that has a pulse.” I laughed.  
“Okay, cool so let’s go talk to this Sugar guy.”  
Jesse ushered me towards the door with a gentle touch on my lower back. Not one for touchy-feely, most of the time, but from Jesse I did not mind at all.  
“Have fun!” Michael called all too cheerfully.

We met Sugar at a bar downtown, it was a dump, but that was no surprise, Sugar never hung out in five star places. We pulled up with people staring, Jesse’s Porsche didn’t exactly fit in.  
“So much for being discreet.” I mumbled.  
We got out and walked to the bar, still being stared at.  
“Didn’t their mother’s ever teach them not to stare?” I half giggled.  
“Half of them probably never had mothers.” He double clicked the lock button on his key fob, making the horn sound.  
“Ladies first.” He said opening the door for me. I walked into a dimly lit bar that smelled of alcohol and B.O. There were a few pool tables off to one side, which people looked up from as we walked in. A scantily clad waitress milled about, serving drinks.  
“There’s Sugar.” I nodded towards the bar. Sugar sat in the middle and kept glancing around nervously. Jesse started towards him, but I grabbed his arm. He turned back to me.  
“What?” He raised his eyebrows.  
“Well Sugar doesn’t know you, and someone is trying to kill him, and you’re like a big...” I paused.  
“What, black?”  
“Yeah that too.” I walked off, leaving him to glare after me.  
“Hey Sugar.” I greeted as I sat next to him. “This is my friend, Jesse.”  
Jesse slowly sat next to me.  
“Shhh!” Sugar hissed. “Don’t say my name!” He glanced around quickly.  
“Calm down man, nothing is going down in this dump. Too many witnesses.” Jesse reassured him.  
“Yeah...okay.” Sugar calmed down a little, leaning on the bar, bringing his face way too close to mine. I leaned back a little bumping Jesse’s shoulder, he reached around me and pushed Sugar back.  
“Dude just talk to us, nothing is going to happen.” I could hear the annoyance in his voice.  
“Ok, so I borrowed some money from these guys from outta town.” He started.  
“Your first mistake.” I said.  
Jesse shot me a ‘shut up’ look.  
“Sorry, continue.” I apologized.  
“Anyway, I needed some walking around cash, ya know. Well you see someone broke into my place last week and stole my stash, now I’ve got no way of paying these guys. I don’t know how they found out so fast, but I think they sent someone to kill me.”  
“What makes you think that?” Jesse inquired.  
“Little stuff, like I think someone’s been following me, and my clients have been keeping their distance. Oh and yesterday I tried to hire a girl from my favorite club, nothing personal sweetie,” he patted my hand. “A man has needs. They told me they ‘weren’t able to serve me’ I mean what does that even mean!”  
“Sugar,” I said putting my hands in my lap. “That’s not really proof on anything.”  
“So what, you’re just going to leave me hanging out for the wolves to circle?”  
I sighed and looked at Jesse. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.  
“Sugar...” I started softly, but he cut me off.  
“Please!” He begged. “I’ll get down on my knees, you have to help me!”  
Before either of us even had time to reply, he jumped up and got down on his knees.  
“Sugar!” I exclaimed. “Get up!”  
“Not until you say you’ll help me!” He wrapped his arms around my legs. “Please!”  
“Ok, that’s enough of that.” Jesse stood and grabbed Sugar by the arms pulling him up and off me.  
“We’ll help you if you shut the hell up.” He growled.  
“Thank you!” Sugar hugged Jesse.  
Jesse scowled, so I quickly stood and turned Sugar towards me.  
“Sugar now listen. You just go about your day and we’ll shadow you and watch your back. Okay?”  
“Okay, thanks again.”  
I shooed him away. He rushed out, swiveling his head as he went.  
Jesse widened his eyes at me and wrinkled his forehead. “That guy’s a psycho.”  
“Well sometimes we need him so we have to keep him indebted to us.”  
Jesse followed me outside, and we got into his car. Sugar waved frantically at us to make sure we saw him leave.  
“That guy is going to get us all killed.” Jesse grumped, starting the car.

We shadowed Sugar all day, to the mall, bank, hair salon, and Nails USA™️.  
“No wonder he’s broke, he lives like a housewife of Miami.” I said.  
Jesse snorted. “I wanna go home.” He complained laying his head back on the headrest.  
“Maybe we’ll catch the killer at the next stop.”  
“What, you mean the bra store?” Jesse grinned.  
I laughed and slapped his arm. “Stop, we’re supposed to be on the lookout, I can’t see through tears.” I wiped at my eyes with my sleeve.  
“C’mon seriously Cass, if someone was after him why haven’t they just killed him? He’s a buffoon, a kindergartner could take him out.”  
“I don’t know, that’s why I wanna stick with this. Their obviously after something.”  
“Maybe they think he has a secret stash and they want him to lead them to it before they kill him.” Jesse suggested.  
“Maybe...”  
We followed Sugar on a few more boring errands before he ended up at a night club.  
“Great.” Jesse said “I’m going in, I have to pee.”  
I laughed at him. “I’m going to hit that market, grab some snacks.”  
“Will do, meet you back here in ten.”  
I hurried across the street and into the small store. I picked up some stuff and paid the old woman at the counter.  
“Road trip?” She asked in a sweet voice.  
“Yeah me and my friend.”  
“He’s a cute little thing.” The woman said looking over my shoulder out the window.  
“Huh?” I mumbled. I might use cute to describe Jesse, but I wouldn’t use little. I turned and squinted towards Jesse’s car, there was a short guy bent over the by the passenger door. Definitely not Jesse, I thought. I rushed out the door, hand on the pistol at the small of my back, the woman yelled something after me.  
“Hey!” I yelled, heading towards the Porsche. The person snapped up, took one look at me, then took of running. I thought about following him, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Jesse walking down the sidewalk, coming from the club on the opposite side of the street. He was closer than I was.  
“Jesse stop!” I yelled, running towards him. He was pushing his finger down on the Fob and didn’t hear me in time to take it back. An explosion went off from the passenger side of his car. I fell on my butt, trying to back pedal away. I saw Jesse crouch, putting his arms up in front of his face.  
“Call the police!” People from the line in front of the club were screaming.  
Jesse regained his composure, pulling his pistol and scanning the area before running over to me.  
“Are you okay?” He pulled me up.  
“Yeah. Are you?”  
“Fine. What happened?”  
“I don’t know, I saw some guy crouched beside the car, when I came out he ran away. I didn’t get a good look at him.”  
Jesse turned and looked at his Porsche, now engulfed in flames.  
“My car.” Jesse pouted.  
“Jesse, I think we’re in over our heads.”  
Sirens could finally be heard in the distance. We had to hang around so Jesse could give the police his information and get a report to file with insurance.  
I was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk waiting for Jesse, he finally came over to me and sat next to me. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he sighed.  
“What do we do now?” I asked. “We lost Sugar and have no leads on the assassin.”  
“I say we go home.” He yawned. “We can’t get another car in the middle of the night and I’m tired. Sugar will just have to try and make it through the night, this guy seems to have changed targets anyway.”  
“Jesse I don’t want to go home...that guy could easily still be around and follow us.”  
“You can stay at my place...if you want.”  
“You sure?”  
“Definitely.” He stood up putting his hands down to help me up.

We got a cab and went to Jesse’s apartment. I was silently freaking out a little, especially with my newfound, simmering feelings for Jesse. But he was acting so chill, like it was no big deal, so I tried to copy his energy. Jesse lived in a way nicer place than mine, his building was seven stories, it had a front desk with a guard and everything.  
“Good evening Mr. Porter.” The guard, a woman with a blond bob, greeted him with a smile.  
“Hey Abbey.” He returned the smile. Jesse kept walking towards the elevators, I had to walk fast to keep up with his long strides. When I walked past Abbey I could’ve swore she gave me a dirty look, but when I did a double take she smiled at me. The elevator came and we rode to level five, Jesse’s place was Five hundred and Fifty-Five, easy to remember. He opened the door and led me in. You could tell it was a bachelor pad, but it was clean and smelled nice, like Jesse’s cologne. We walked in the door into a small corridor out into the main part of the apartment. The living room was straight ahead, with a flatscreen and leather furniture, a huge stereo system took up half of one wall. To the right was the kitchen, with granite countertops and an island in the middle. Jesse went left through the living room towards an open door, he came back a minute later with a pillow and comforter in hand which he threw on the couch.  
“I’ll take the couch, you can sleep in my room.” He walked to the kitchen. I just stood frozen in the entry way.  
“You want anything?” He asked opening the fridge.  
“Water?”  
“Yep.” He pulled two bottles out, waving one in the air. “Come and get it.” He chuckled, setting it down in front of one of the island stools.  
I walked over and sat down. He leaned on his elbows on the other side, sipping his water.  
“Thanks a lot Jesse.” I said softly.  
“It’s just water.” He laughed.  
“I mean for letting me stay. I don’t like always being alone, but especially not now.”  
“Don’t mention it again, you’d do the same for me. And I don’t mind the company either, having cool stuff doesn’t make this place less lonely.”  
I smiled at him.  
“Okay so the bathroom is there.” He gestured to a second door by the bedroom. “I’ll grab my stuff really quick then it’s all yours, use whatever you want, if you wanna change I can throw your stuff in the washer for tomorrow.” He walked away before I could answer. He was gone for a few minutes then then came back in black lounge pants and a grey, fit him perfect, t-shirt. I grabbed my water and took it to the bathroom with me. Like the rest of his place, the bathroom was clean and smelled good. All the towels were grey and matched the rug. I washed my face and used some of Jesse’s mouthwash, then I quickly used the toilet, I washed my hands carefully not wanting to make a mess. When I came out Jesse was sitting on the couch.  
“Here, I’ll show you were the clothes are.” He got up and walked into his room. I followed. The bedroom had the strongest Jesse smell, I closed my eyes taking a deep breath. True to the rest of his color scheme, his bed was decked in grey and white stripes, the curtains were grey, and the floor was stained hardwood. Jesse had disappeared into a walk-in closet, I snapped back to reality and followed him. The closest was pretty big, any girl’s dream. He had suits, shirts, and slacks on one side of the closet, but plenty of t-shirts and jeans on the other.  
“The comfy stuff is over here.” He walked up to some shelves. “I know it won’t fit, but it’s just for one night.”  
“Thank you.” I smiled.  
“Do you want me to wash your clothes?”  
“No, I can go home tomorrow and change.”  
“Ok, sweet dreams.” He walked out, I heard him shut the bedroom door to give me privacy.  
I picked one of Jesse’s shirts off the hanger, feeling kinda like I was intruding in someone’s house, because I was, but Jesse was so sweet about it. I brought the shirt to my face and took a deep breath. It had a soft woodsy smell that must’ve been his detergent, and a musky fresh man smell, that’s how I’m describing it and I’m sticking with it. I was also surprised by how many different colored shirts he had, basically one plain shirt of every color and some patterned ones. The one I picked was dark purple, I slipped off my pants, shirt, and bra and threw them over a chair in his room. I put Jesse’s shirt on and it brushed the top of my knees, that’s what I get for being five foot two. I threw my shoes and socks on the floor by the chair and picked up my pistol where I had set it down on the floor. I walked over to the bed to put my gun under the pillow, but when I lifted it there was already one there. I shook my head and set it down on the night stand instead. I crawled in between the the covers and snuggled into Jesse’s wonderful scent.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke with a start, what woke me I wondered looking around. I didn’t see anything unusual except that I wasn’t in my apartment. I threw the covers aside, put my legs over the bed and grabbed my nine mill off the stand. I slowly crept toward the door, opening it without a sound Jesse kept it well oiled for such occasions as this. Jesse was already at the entry, pistol in hand, he glanced over his shoulder at me then motioned for me to come. I ran behind him and stood at the opposite side of the entry, I nodded, and he crept forward. He made it to the door, clearing the closet on his way, he stopped at the door and I came up beside him putting my hand on the door knob. He nodded once and I pulled the door open, he quickly cleared the doorway looking left and right then he stepped into the hall. After a second he lowered his pistol and huffed. I took that as an ‘all clear’ and stepped out with him, there was a guy sitting in front of the next door down. He waved at Jesse, clearly drunk. Jesse half raised his hand in reply.   
“Mr. Roberts likes to drink.” He whispered to me. “Jerry do you have your keys?” He asked, handing me his gun and walking towards Jerry. Jesse helped him then came back in. I stood by the island still holding both pistols. As he walked towards me he looked me up and down, his eyes lingering for a split-second on my chest. He met my eyes then quickly looked at the floor blushing.   
“Here.” I handed him his pistol.   
“Thanks.” He muttered.   
I looked at the clock, it was three in the morning.   
“I think I’ll try to go back to bed.”   
“Yeah me too.” He agreed.   
“Night.” I walked back to the bedroom, I turned to shut the door to see Jesse was still standing in the kitchen, his eyes fixed on me. I gave a tiny smile then shut the door, I hurried back to bed cold now that the adrenaline had calmed down. Jesse was looking at me and not just looking at me but really looking, I fell asleep smiling. 

I got up around seven and quickly got dressed, leaving Jesse’s shirt on his bed which I had already made. Jesse was in the kitchen so I quickly used the bathroom, then went and sat at the island.   
“Breakfast is served.” He put down two plates of pancakes stacked with fruit and whipped cream.   
I laughed. “You didn’t have to.”   
“I know, I wanted to.” He smiled, sitting down next to me. I hadn’t relized I was starving, I couldn’t stop myself from shoving the delicious food into my stupid mouth. Jesse didn’t seem to mind, he did the same only faster, he was done long before I was.   
“This is really good.” I managed to say between bites.   
He just smiled. “So I was thinking about our problem, and I think first we need to get a car, then see if Sugar made it through the night. The. We can go back to the club, maybe ask around, maybe someone saw something.”   
“Sounds good. We should talk to the lady at that store, I think she got a better look at him than I did. She said he was ‘cute’.”   
“Cuter than me?” He asked fake shocked.   
“Not possible.” I giggled.   
He shook his head then got up to throw the dishes in the dishwasher.   
“I’ll just be a few minutes.”   
I sat on the couch while I waited for him; I heard the shower turn on, but he was only in the bathroom for like three minutes tops before he came out, towel slung around his waist. I had to force my jaw to stay in place, this man was literally trying to kill me. Luckily he didn’t linger he went straight to his room, shutting the door behind him. I closed my eyes trying to commit this moment to memory. His beautifully shaped pecks and abs, muscular arms and broad, strong shoulders...damn. When does he even workout; he has a job, helps Michael all the time, and keeps this place spotless. I was still thinking about him shirtless when he walked out of the bedroom.   
“Ready? Let’s get a car so you can go home and get your stuff.”   
“Uh huh.” I said following him out. 

We walked the four blocks to the nearest car dealer in comfortable silence. I noticed Jesse slowed his pace, not letting me get behind him. We got to the dealer and Jesse pulled out his wallet giving his drivers license and credit card to the woman behind the desk.   
“We need to rent a car for a few days.”   
“What were you thinking?” The woman asked.   
He shrugged. “Something cool.”   
I cleared my throat, and he glared at me raising an eyebrow.   
“You ok?” He asked.   
“Don’t you think we should try to blend in a little?”   
“Um yeah.” He turned back to the woman. “Just give us like a compact with a good engine.”   
We wound up with a red Chevy Cruz, it was small, fast, and fit in with other cars. On our way to my place I tried calling Sugar but he didn’t pick up.   
“Could be bad news.” I sighed hanging up my phone.   
“Well let’s not jump to any conclusions, he’s probably still sleeping.”   
“I guess.” I said unsure. “Should we grab some extra gear? I have a few things, not as impressive as Michael’s stash.”   
“Do you have binoculars or anything we can listen with?”   
“Yeah and I think I have a box of .45 shells.”   
He smirked. “Atta girl.”   
We got out of the car at my apartment building and Jesse popped the trunk, he handed me my bag then threw his backpack over a shoulder. I led the way up the stairs to the second floor, I started down the hall, but stopped short. Jesse put a hand on my shoulder to keep himself from running into me. He brought his head next to mine and looked where I was looking. My door was open, just a crack, but open. I pulled my nine mill. dropping my bag, Jesse copied and we slowly walked towards the door. Jesse stood beside the door as I slowly opened it, my apartment was two rooms, bathroom and everything else. I scanned the larger part, Jesse stepping in behind me. I motioned to the bathroom and he started for it while I went to check the bedroom area. When I was convinced no one was hiding in my wardrobe or behind the fridge, I put my pistol back in my waistband. Jesse went out to grab our bags and came back bolting the door.   
“Is anything missing.”   
“I don’t think so.” I whispered. “You don’t think it’s bugged do you?”   
“No clue. I can look around while you get ready, if you don’t mind.”   
“Please do. Will you check the bathroom first.”   
He nodded walking into the bathroom. I gathered different clothes, and my hairbrush and set them on the bed. Then I grabbed the surveillance gear and shoved it in a backpack. Jesse came back.   
“All clear in there.”   
“Here.” I handed him the .45 bullets. “It’s only half a box. I think Fi took the rest the last time she was here.”   
“Sounds right.” He chuckled taking the box.   
“Okay I’ll shower quick then I gotta get out of here.” I grabbed my stuff heading for the bathroom, I started to shut the door but stopped and turned back to Jesse who was looking under my bed. “Jesse.”   
“Yeah?” He looked up.   
“Don’t leave ok?”   
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”   
I quickly showered, dressed, and dryed my hair. When I came back out Jesse was sitting at my desk. I walked to my bed, sitting on the edge.   
“Love the furniture you got going in here.” He smirked.   
“Ha ha.” My furniture consisted of my bed, side table, wardrobe, desk with chair, and a lamp. “I’m basically only here when I’m asleep, otherwise I’m with you guys.”   
“I’m joking, it’s nice, seriously.”   
“To bad I have to move now.” I wiped at my eyes. Jesse came over and sat next to me, I leaned my head on his shoulder and took one of his hands in both of mine. Just being next to him I felt better, he didn’t have to say or do anything, I had finally found something in the world that brought me peace. I never in a hundred years would have imagined that thing would be a man, since all that haunted my nightmares were men.   
“Jesse, I want to tell you everything, I just don’t know if I’m ready.” I looked at him. “I kinda have a trusting problem.”   
“I get it. I never really trusted anyone after my mom got shot, until... recently.” His forehead wrinkled. “We should go.” He cleared his throat and stood.   
I threw a pair of boots on and grabbed a few boxes of 9mill. ammo adding them to my backpack. I threw my laptop into my computer bag and slung it over my shoulder, Jesse picked up both the backpacks and headed out the door. I locked up, not that that does any good, and followed him to the car. We got in and headed for Sugar’s, hoping we wouldn’t find a corpse.


	5. Chapter 5

“How did they know where I live Jesse? We didn’t go back to my place after your car blew.”  
“I don’t know, unless Sugar was never the target in the first place.”  
“Are you saying someone used Sugar to lure us out?”  
“Maybe not us.”  
“Me?” I gulped. “Why me?”  
“You tell me, I mean I don’t know anything about your past.” He looked over at me for a second. “With what we have now you’re the most obvious target.”  
“Should we stay away from Sugar then?”  
“I think if we go check on him, and he’s alive, yes.”  
“And if he’s not?”  
“Then we’ll know he was the target after all.”  
“Very reassuring.”  
We finally got to Sugar’s place and went cautiously to the door. Jesse knocked. A few minutes, and Jesse pounding harder, later, Sugar finally came to the door.  
“Jeez, ever heard of a hangover, chill.” Sugar grumped holding his head.  
“We thought you were dead Sugar.” I stated.  
“Well as you can see I’m very much alive. Now I’m going back to bed.” Before we could reply he slammed the door.  
“What do we do now?”  
“As much as I hate to say it, I think we should go talk to Mike.” He almost winced when he said Michael’s name.  
“I agree.” I pulled him by the arm. “I’ll call everyone to meet at the loft.” 

When we arrived everyone was already there. I got out of the car and walked to the bottom of the stairs, stopping and turning to Jesse.  
“Please no fighting with Michael and Sam. We just need to figure out what’s going on.”  
“I’ll be good.”  
“Promise?”  
“Scout’s honor.” He stood tall and raised hi right hand.  
I rolled my eyes and turned to go up the stairs. We walked in and everyone was gathered around the island, they all turned to look at us. We spent the next hour filling them in on everything we knew, which wasn’t much, and everything that had happened.  
“It certainly sounds like the hitman was either given new orders or had two targets to begin with.” Michael remarked.  
“But what if Cassie was the target from the beginning?” Fi questioned.  
“I don’t think so.” Michael explained. “He broke into her apartment. If he knew where she lived why would he need Sugar to lure her out?”  
“Mikey’s got a point, if Cass was the target to begin with he should’ve just staked out her place.” Sam added.  
“I still don’t understand why someone would want Cassie dead.” Jesse looked at me, as did everyone else.  
“I think it’s time Cass.” Fi encouraged.  
I sighed, pushed my hair behind my ears, and sat on the island up against the wall.  
“My dad was always gambling.” I started, looking at Jesse. “That’s why my mom left him, well us. He gambled away their life saving, my college fund, even lost his car, so he got desperate. He borrowed money from a local loan shark, little did he know this particular loan shark happend to be the head of a very ruthless Mafia group. The younger members of said mafia reffered to themselves as ‘The Shade’. The Shade pretty much runs Port St. Lucie, where I used to live, how my dad didn’t know this was amazing. Anyway, my dad did good at first, he really started to turn his life around. We got a small apartment, he got a car, started working, sent me to a private high school. He was making regular payments to The Shade so they left us alone. I’m not entirely sure what changed or if something happened, but when I started college my dad started gambling again. With that came drinking, and I didn’t find out until after he was dead, but drugs too. He lost his job and way of paying The Shade, obviously they came after him, squeezing every penny out of him. He went on the run for awhile so they used me to get him back. They came to my school, I don’t know how long they were watching me before they actually took me because they knew my routine. Grabbed me in an alley between two buildings, a shortcut I took to get to class faster. I tried to bargain with them, telling them I could eventually pay off my dad’s debt, but that wasn’t good enough they wanted the money now not later. When my dad turned up back in town they hunted him, and found him in our apartment, gun in his mouth.” I paused wiping my eyes. Everyone looked at the floor, Jesse scrubbed his hand over his face, and Fi laid a hand on my leg.  
I finally continued. “I guess he thought if he was dead they’d let me go, at least that’s what I like to think. They said he was a worthless coward taking the easy way out. But they didn’t let me go they kept me for payment and I did help them get their money back, times about a million. I was, am, good with computers and they used that. They become high tech, high stakes robbers, we hit banks, giant companies, hell even billionaires personal accounts. All undetected until it was too late, because of me. To the outside world I was one of them, an untouchable, to them I was just a bitch who could make them rich. Luckily for me about three and a half years into my ‘kidnapping’ they hit a tech company in Miami. The owner of the company had friends that Michael had helped in the past so he hired him to solve his problem. Michael, Fi, and Sam tracked me down, I still don’t know how, but they did. For some reason I thought Michael could help me so when they caught us I told them everything. Several members of The Shade went to prison, the rest fled back to Port St. Lucie to squeal to boss man. They know I’m in Miami, they know Michael’s face, but up until now they’ve never attempted to come after me. It’s been nine months since I’ve been away and I’m never going back, I’d rather join my father then let them have me again.”  
“Wow.” Was all Jesse said.  
“So if this guy was sent from The Shade, why didn’t he just wait at Cassie’s place and grab her?” Fi stated.  
“Because of me.” Jesse said. “I mean it has to be, they either don’t want another body on their hands or they don’t want to have to fight me.”  
“Don’t get a big head.” Fi mumbled. “It’s most likely the body, yours is large and would be hard to stash somewhere.”  
“So let’s put it to the test.” Michael started.  
“What you want us to give them Jesse?” Sam asked with a grin.  
“No, we give them a clean shot at Cassie.” Michael continued ignoring Sam.  
“I’m not liking this plan.” I said.  
“Me neither.” Jesse barked.  
“Hear me out.” Michael requested. “Cassie goes home, but we sit on the place. If someone comes around we got him, if he doesn’t we’ll know it’s more complicated.”  
“Or he’ll just shoot Cassie! The psycho already blew up my car!” Jesse yelled.  
“Hey.” I put my hand on his arm. “You promised.”  
He took a deep breath locking his jaw.  
“I want to try, I trust you all to watch my back and I want this to be over.”


	6. Chapter 6

The plan was for me to go home and act as natural as possible. Michael and Fi were working surveillance in the parking lot, Jesse was in the building, and Sam was on top of the next building over, sniper ready. I tried to focus on my work, but I couldn’t, I couldn’t eat either so I laid on my bed trying to sleep. I must’ve finally drifted off, a nightmare waking me up, I sat up sweating and looked at the clock, two am. I grabbed my phone to text Fi to see if everything was going ok, but I saw a missed call from Jesse, I called him, but he didn’t pick up so I called Fi, she did pick up.   
“Why are you calling, you’re supposed to be asleep?”   
“Jesse called me, but I missed it, I tried to call him but he didn’t pick up.”   
“We’ll look into it, stay in your apartment.” She commanded.   
I hung up and quickly got dressed, something didn’t smell right, I threw a box of nine mill. rounds in my computer bag and shoved my gun in my waistband. Then there was a knock on the door, I silently rushed to it and peeped out the peep hole. It was Fi, I opened the door.   
“What’s going on?” I hissed.   
“We can’t find Jesse.”   
“What do you mean, can’t find him, he’s hard to miss.”   
“This is no joke Cassie, we found this.” She held out Jesse’s St. Christopher necklace.   
“Oh, no. Oh no no no no.” I trembled grabbing it and holding it to my chest.   
“Calm down!” Fi demanded. “You’re no help to Jesse like that, let’s get out of here.” She pulled me along.   
We just made it into Michael’s car when my phone rang. I quickly pulled it out of my bag.   
“It’s Jesse!” I practically screamed. “Jesse!” I say into the phone putting it on speaker.   
“No, I’m afraid Jesse cannot come to the phone right now.” A dry voice answered.   
“Where’s Jesse, what have you done with him?” I yelled.   
Michael made a calm down motion with his hand then a walking gesture.   
Track! Track the call. I dug out my computer and started the trace.   
“He’s alive, for now.”   
“Tell us what you want and we’ll do it.” Michael responded.   
“I want the girl, Cassie. Give her to me and the big man goes free.”   
“I want proof of life.” Michael demanded.   
“Of course. Jesse let your friends know you’re ok.” There was and electric sound and then Jesse cried out.   
“Don’t give him a damn thing!”   
The phone went dead. Tears streamed down my face.   
“I got it.”   
“Fi call Sam, give him the location.” Michael started the car and tore out of the lot.  
Sam met us at the abandoned tire shop with a van.   
“Got what you wanted Mikey.” He said hopping out.   
“Since we’re going in blind we need all three of us, Cassie you cover is from the van.” Michael directed.   
“Here’s the layout.” I said showing them the building plans on my laptop. “My guess is he’s in the break room, no windows, one entrance.”   
“Ok, we’ll hopefully be right back.”   
“Michael.” I grabbed his arm. “Bring him back to me.”   
Michael just nodded giving me a small smile. I sat on my heels, the side door open just enough to stick my barrel out. I hear gunfire from inside, long agonizing minutes later the door bursts open and four shadows pour out. I slam the door open, Michael and Sam are practically dragging Jesse, I help them get him into the van. Fiona jumps in the driver seat and Mike and Sam get in with me and Jesse. Fi floors it, Mike and Sam fall back against the back doors. Jesse is conscious, but looks like hell, his shirt is open and he has burns all over his chest, and blood around his ears. I grab his face between my hands.   
“Aye Cass.” He mumbles.   
I smile at him through tears then I kiss him, and not just on the cheek either. I kiss him hard, he’s surprised at first then kisses me back. When I pull back he smiles at me then looks over my shoulder. I look back, Mike’s and Sam’s mouths are hanging open.   
“Gonna catch flies boys.” I turn back to Jesse. “You forgot something.” I pull his necklace out of my pocket, and latch it around his neck.   
“Thanks.” He cups my face with his hand, and I lean into his touch. 

We head back to the loft and the guys help Jesse out, and up the stairs. Fi and I gather the gear out of the van.   
“So, you and Jesse?” Fi asks.   
“I don’t know Fi, all I know is he’s the first person I’ve ever felt the way I do about.”   
“Well how do you feel?”   
“Safe, but something else too.”   
“Something like love?” She smirked at me.   
I looked at her and bit my lip.   
“You love him!” She hugged me. “Have you told him?”   
“No, I just found out. You can’t say anything. He probably thinks I’m just a kid anyway.”   
“I don’t think so.” She knitted her brow. “There’s only a few years between you.”   
“Try seven.”   
“Really? Wow I’m old.” She frowned.   
“Nah. Come on let’s just get this stuff out so Sam can ditch the van.”   
We took everything thing inside.   
“Good to go Sam.” Fi told him, and he headed out.   
Michael was tending to Jesse’s injuries, which required his shirt off. Fi smirked at me when she saw my pink face. I elbowed her giving her a ‘shut up’ look.   
“Is he going to be ok?” I asked Michael.   
“He’s fine just some electrical burns, and head trauma. Nothing major.”  
“So how’d this guy get you Jesse?” Fi asked sitting at the island.   
“He was acting like he lived in one of the apartments, he was standing at one of the doors shuffling through a set of keys. I just walked past him, bastard tased me in the back.” He winced as Michael rubbed salve on his chest. “That does hurt man.”   
“Yeah quit crying.”   
“Did you guys kill him?” I inquired.   
“Michael wouldn’t let me. I beanbagged him, and Sam tied him up.” Fi shot Michael a dirty look.   
“Fi we bugged the place, if whoever hired him comes for Cassie we can grab him.” Michael explained. “The guy said he already set up a pickup for that location.”   
“But what if they were watching, and saw us rescue Jesse?” I stated.   
“Then we’re out of luck.” Michael said.   
“So right now that guy is just tied up at the tire place?” I asked.   
“Yeah.” Mike answered. “Fi and I will take the first shift.” Mike grabbed the radio and motioned for Fi to follow him up the stairs. “You guys get some rest.”   
Jesse looked at me as I sat on the bed.   
“I can go on the couch.”   
“Don’t be ridiculous Jesse, it’s a queen bed there’s room for like four people.”   
“Four people your size maybe.” He laughed.   
I threw my boots off, and crawled under the sheets, I didn’t realize how tired I actually was. I felt Jesse lay down before I was out cold. I woke to Fi gently shaking me, I felt weight across my legs.   
“Cassie, shift change.” She whispered.   
I finally opened my eyes and looked around, Jesse had a leg over my legs.   
“Don’t wake him. I’ll take this shift.”   
Fi nodded, and I gently crawled out from under Jesse. Michael was already asleep on the couch upstairs, so Fi grabbed a pillow, and the comforter off Jesse, and went up with Mike. I brought the radio downstairs and sat at the island. Hours go by with radio silence, I ate two yogurts, played solitaire, and organized Michael’s ammo shelf. I was about to call this mission a failure when a noise came over the radio.   
“I’ll get her don’t worry, just don’t kill me...please I won’t let you down.” There were pauses between the pleading, he must be on the phone. “Yes, I’ll get it done...tomorrow...yes.”   
There wasn’t going to be a tomorrow, I had to put an end to this, I couldn’t keep letting my friends get hurt for me. I grabbed my gun, and the keys to Jesse’s rental, taking the radio with me as I slipped out the door. I drove, on a suspended license, back to the tire store, hoping the killer hadn’t left yet.   
I slowly crept in the door clearing the room, and moving towards the back where the break room was. I heard a shuffle behind me, and quickly spun, someone knocked my gun from my hands. Surprise, it was the hired killer.   
“I’m starting to think you’re not worth it bitch.” He snarled at me.   
“Who hired you?” I demanded trying not to let him hear how scared I was. It didn’t work because he grinned like a wolf cornering it’s prey.   
“I consider myself more of a bounty hunter; a pretty price sitting on your head there is.”   
“What?” A price, The Shade had officially marked me enemy number one. In all my years with them they’d only offered a reward for the head of one person, that was ‘head hancho’s’ nephew, who threatened to expose The Shade’s whole operation. The man took a few steps closer to me, to which I tried to back away, but tripped and fell instead.   
“Might as well have a little fun first. You’re a pretty little thing.” His evil grin got bigger as he started to undo his belt.   
“The Shade won’t pay for damaged goods.” I attempted.   
“Then don’t make me damage you.” He walked closer so he was standing over me.   
It’s ok Cassie just close your eyes like you always do, I told myself squeezing my eyes closed. A shot rang out from the front of the building. I opened my eyes to see killer man fall to his knees clutching his stomach, where blood was pouring from. I quickly shuffled backwards on my butt, getting out of the way before he fell face first on the concrete. I heard footsteps rushing towards me, I looked up expecting to see Mike, Fi, Sam, Jesse, or pretty much anyone besides who it actually was.   
“Rhodey?” I asked shocked.


	7. Chapter 7

“Are you ok?” Rhodey knelt beside me.   
Rhodey and I grew up in Port St. Lucie together. We were best friends in preschool, and neighbors after me and my dad moved. No one was really nice to me because of the trouble my dad was always in, but Rhodey never gave up on me. We only stopped hanging out because I left for college, then there was the whole kidnapped thing. I haven’t seen Rhodey since the day I left for college, over seven years ago.   
“Rhodey, what are you doing here, how did you know where I was?”   
“All that later. Right now we need to get out of here.” He stood and pulled me up.   
I scanned the floor, quickly finding my nine mill. then following Rhodey out the door. We both got into our cars, and I followed Rhodey to a small diner a few miles down the road. We got a booth, and ordered some coffees, I hated coffee, but felt like I could use a pick me up.   
“Not that I’m not so glad you showed up when you did, but what are you doing here Rhodey?” I looked at him knitting my brows.   
“I heard around town that The Shade had put out a bounty for you. I was worried. I followed that guy here hoping he’d lead me to you, and I’m glad he did; I’ve missed you a lot Cass.” He smiled and put his hand on mine, which rested on the table.   
“I missed you too Rhodey.” I returned the smile. “Do you know if anyone else came to Miami looking for me?”   
“No, I’m sorry. I just followed that guy, I didn’t stick around for a head count, I didn’t want to get here too late.”   
My phone started ringing, cutting him off. I dug it out of my pocket, and glanced at the caller id, Jesse.  
“I have to take this.” I told Rhodey. “Hey Jesse, what’s up.”   
“Oh not much, you know, just woke up and you’re gone but everything’s cool here.”   
“Jesse I’m sorry I had to go after that guy, I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt.”   
“What about you? We don’t want you to get hurt either.”   
“Don’t worry I’m fine, the killer is dead. I’ll be back in a little bit with your car, and I’m bringing a friend.”   
“My car?” I could almost see him raising his eyebrows, and his forehead wrinkle. “What friend? Mike’s not going to be happy.”   
“Michael’s never really happy though so no biggy.”   
“Yeah, ok, sure, no biggy.”   
“I’m hanging up now Jesse.”

Rhodey and I made it back to the loft in a record slow time, I wasn’t looking forward to facing everyone.   
“It’ll be okay.” Rhodey said as we walked up the stairs to the door.   
I saw the Caddy along the street so that ment Sam was here too, yay. I slowly walked in, everyone turning around at the island to look at me. Fi rushed over, grabbing me in a hug.   
“We were so worried, don’t ever do that again.”   
“Yeah, please don’t.” Michael added.   
“Who’s your friend?” Sam asked motioning to Rhodey with his beer.   
“First off, it’s seven in the morning Sam.”   
He just took a sip.   
“This is Rhodey.” I said, leading him towards the island.   
Michael went to the fridge, and got two yogurts, setting them down for us.   
“He’s my best friend from back home.” I watched everyone’s reactions. Michael remained stone faced; Fi smiled; Sam looked at Michael, raising an eyebrow; and Jesse set his jaw.   
“Hi.” Rhodey half smiled.   
“What kinda name is Rhodey?” Jesse snorted.   
“Um, I don’t know. You could ask my parents, but they’re dead so...”   
I gave Jesse a look at which he shrugged.   
“Anyway.” Michael started. “Jesse said you got the killer. Was anyone else there?”   
“No.” I replied. “Just Rhodey, who saved me.”   
Rhodey put his arm around my shoulder, and I smiled at him. I told them what Rhodey had told me about The Shade.   
“So we gotta take them down.” Jesse stated.   
“I agree.” Michael agreed. “But this isn’t going to be an easy job. Sam can you talk to your buddies, see if there’s anything you can dig up?”   
“Will do Mikey.” Sam said, heading out.   
Michael continued. “Rhodey and I have to clean up his mess. Fi, Jesse you help Cassie get moved out. Quickly and quietly.”   
“Where am I going to stay?” I asked.   
“I don’t know. It should be close to one of us so we can get to you if anything goes down.” Michael said. “I don’t think any of the lofts around here are vacant...”   
“She can stay with me...” Jesse started.   
Fi, Michael, and Rhodey looked at me.   
“I can’t ask you to do that for me, Jesse.”   
“You didn’t ask, I offered.” He grinned at me.   
“Ok, good enough for now.” Michael grabbed his keys. “Let’s go Rhodey.” 

I sat at the island to eat my yogurt before we headed to my place. I had to leave my furniture, which wasn’t a huge loss, I was only attached to my bed a little; but the thought of Jesse’s bed, with Jesse in it helped me get over it. We packed my whole life into the trunks of two small cars and headed for Jesse’s apartment. We unloaded everything into Jesse’s living room. Fi sighed, and wiped at her forehead with the back of her hand.   
“I’m starving.” She stated. “I’m going to get lunch. You two get settled, I’ll be right back. Chinese or sushi?”   
“Chinese.” Jesse and I said in unison.   
“Will do.” She walked out the door.   
“I’ll clear some closet space. You can put your books on the shelf over there.” He disappeared into his room.   
I unloaded my books onto the bottom shelf, not wanting to invade his space more than I already was. I finished up and went into his room.   
“Jesse, I cant thank you enough. You really didn’t have to...”   
“You don’t get it do you?” He cut me off. “I care about you, Cass, and when I thought something happened to you this morning, knowing it was my fault for not being with you.” He paused. “I felt like I was going to die.”   
“Jesse...”   
“And after you kissed me, then acted like it didn’t happen.”   
I walked over to him, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck I pulled him down to me, kissing him.   
He wrapped his arms around me pulling me against him. When we pulled apart he smiled, a totally adorkable smile, making me smile.   
“Jesse I care about you too. I just never thought you would see me like that.”   
“What, be attracted to you?” He wrinkled his forehead.   
“Yeah, I figured you saw me like a sister.”   
“No, don’t say that.” He closed his eyes. “Now I’m picturing kissing a sister, ew.” He stuck his tongue out and laughed, making me laugh.   
“And wondering what you look like naked just got weird.” He smirked.   
I hit his chest. “Hey!” I couldn’t help a giggle.   
“Please, I saw you checking me out when I was in a towel.”   
I bit my lip.   
He leaned back down, and I stood on my tiptoes trying to get closer to him. He kissed me a little more aggressive this time. We heard the door open, and he pulled back.   
“Food’s here!” Fiona called from the kitchen.   
“Jesse, maybe we keep us a secret for now?” I said softly.   
“Whatever you want Cass.” He pecked me on the cheek before we walked out to join Fi.   
We we all hungry so we ate in silence; no one wanting to put their forks, or chopsticks down for even a second. Jesse just laid his fork down when his phone rang.   
“Hello.” He said into the phone. He said a bunch of yes’ and oks then hung up. “That was Mike, he thinks he has a lead on a second hit-man. Wants us all to meet back at the loft.”   
Fi grabbed her bag and keys while Jesse cleared the kitchen. I got my computer, following them to the door.


	8. Chapter 8

“Alright.” Michael said the minute we walked in. Rhodey and Sam were already standing by the island. Fi and Jesse joined the circle while I lingered back. Michael grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge before he started talking.   
Jesse looked around the circle, seeing I wasn’t there he turned, leaned towards me, wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me next to him. We were so squished together one of my shoulders was touching Jesse’s arm, and the other Rhodey’s shoulder. Rhodey was about five inches taller than me. He smiled when we made contact, Jesse scowled at him.   
“So, Rhodey and I took care of Mr. Killer all went well, blah blah. The interesting thing happened when we ran into everyone’s favorite neighborhood drug dealer.”   
“Sugar?” Fiona, Sam, Jesse, and I said collectively.   
“Yes, Sugar.” He said slowly. “He told us he heard some new guys rolled into town last night. Apparently these ‘guys’ are in the drug business. But that’s not all, they were asking around at some of the clubs about some girl, saying she had information they were very interested in. Now, Sugar said they’ve set up camp down at the night club on Braxton. I say we get Cassie in there, disguised of course, see if she recognizes anyone. Because obviously if their traveling this heavy with this much leverage it’s most likely a high up on The Shade hierarchy.”   
“I’m going with her.” Rhodey demanded.   
“I don’t think so buddy.” Michael grimaced. “You have no field experience, and no way of knowing how to handle this kind of delicate situation.”   
“I handled myself ok this morning.” Rhodey argued.   
“And that took an entire afternoon of bleach to clean up.” Michael thumped him on the back. “I think sit this one out.”   
“Mikey, I have to get back after the files, they’re not going to dig themselves up.” Sam interrupted.   
“Ok Sam, do what you need to do. I’d appreciate something by tomorrow...”   
Sam frowned.   
“Afternoon.” Michael finished.   
“You owe me a mijito after this is all over.” Sam grumbled, heading for the door.   
“Thank you Sam!” I called after him.   
He waved over his head.   
“So that leaves...” Michael started, but Jesse cut him off.   
“Me.”   
“Yeah, you. Fiona, Rhodey, and I will run survaliance, make sure you two don’t get any surprises. Fi, get her something to wear. Jesse go get something to wear. We’ll regroup in thirty.” 

I ended up in a blonde wig and so much makeup on I felt like I was wearing a mask. None of Fi’s clothes fit me, because she’s a twig, and I have boobs and a butt; so we had to make a quick trip to the mall to buy me a party dress. Fi picked a strapless, skin tight, black dress that barely covered my butt, so not me. I’m more of a hoodie and jeans kinda gal.   
Mike whistled as I walked out of the bathroom, trying not to fall in Fi’s high, high heels.   
“Where’s Cassie?” He joked.   
“Ha ha!” I stuck my tongue out at him.   
“There she is.” He smiled.   
“Isn’t Jesse back yet?” Fi asked.   
The door opened right when she finished, Jesse walking in. He had on black pants, with matching shoes, a blue silky looking shirt, and earrings. His St. Christopher medallion still at its place around his neck. I could see because his shirt was a quarter of the way unbuttoned, and unlike normal, he wasn’t wearing an undershirt.   
“I didn’t know you had your ears pierced.” I giggled.   
“Not something a lot of people know about me. You look amazing by the way, miss the normal hair though.”   
I couldn’t help blushing, so I hurried to the island to grab my purse.   
“Rhodey’s bringing his car around.” Mike stated. “I’ll head out with him to make sure the coast is clear. You two wait ten minutes then leave with Fi following you.”   
“Yes sir.” I fake saluted, making Jesse stifle a laugh.   
Michael left and we waited our ten minutes then headed out. Jesse held the door for me, helping me into the car, then getting in.   
“We’re looking super fly rolling up in a Chevy, this feels wrong.” Jesse smirked.   
“We should’ve borrowed the Caddy.”   
“Or at least Mike’s classic.” He laughed then turned serious. “Are you ready for this?” He laid his hand on the middle console, palm up. I slid my fingers between his and squeezed, his fingers almost covered my whole hand.   
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I forced a small smile when he glanced over at me.  
When we got to the club we got in right away. I think it had something to do with my dress, Fi knew what she was doing. Jesse went to the bar and bought us a bottle of what I can only describe as gasoline, I had half a sip and wanted to puke flames. Jesse on the other hand downed two glasses before he causally started scoping the place out.   
“Big dog is in the back over there.”   
I followed his line of sight, all I could see were three guys in black suits, who I presumed were heavily armed.   
“They’ve been watching us since we sat down.” He continued. “They’re making sure we’re not a threat.”   
I looked back at him, sliding closer, closing the few inches that were between us. I put one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his inner thigh. He raised an eyebrow at me. I leaned into him, bringing my lips close to his ear.   
“Is it working?”   
“Uh huh.” He sighed, and closed his eyes for a second before lightly shaking his head, and looking back towards the back of the club. “Yeah, it worked.”   
“Good.” I whispered, biting the side of his ear. He wrapped his arm around my waist, gently resting his hand on my butt.   
“Now we have to figure out a way to get a meeting with boss man back there.”   
“I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.” I poured him another glass of fire. “Most guys come to a club to pick up girls, so he’s not going to deny having a drink with me.”   
Jesse wrinkled his forehead. “No, nuh uh, definitely not.” He threw back the drink, cringing.   
“It’ll be fine, you’re right here. I need to get closer so I can see this guy.”   
“Fine.” He growled, handing me the bottle. “One drink.” He held up a finger.   
I walk through the crowd dancing a little on the way to blend in. When I approach the back the guards perked up, blocking me from getting any closer to a couch that was already roped off. I leaned past them making eye contact with the man already surrounded by girls. I gave him my best flirty smile, and shook the bottle back and forth in the air. He motioned for the guards to let me in, they did, and the girls made room next to him on the couch.   
“Hi, I’m Crystal.” I smiled.   
He just looked me up and down. I could finally see his face clearly. It was Dino, a nephew to boss man; I call ‘boss’ all these different things because I don’t actually know his name. Dino was in charge of the group I ‘worked’ with when I was with The Shade. I’d only seen him twice before, but this was definitely him.


	9. Chapter 9

I poured him a drink which he quickly downed, raising his eyebrows at me.   
“Such a strong drink for such a tiny thing.”   
“I’ve never seen you around before, are you here to stay or just visiting?” I asked twirling his tie between my fingers.   
“Just visiting. I have some business to take care of.”   
“Sounds mysterious.”   
“Not so much. Just meeting an old associate.”   
“What kind of work do you do?”   
“I’m what you’d call an entrepreneur.” He grinned.   
“Interesting...” I heard loud arguing above the thundering music. I look up, Jesse was shoving one of the guards out of his way and stepping over the ropes.   
“What the hell are you doing?” Jesse barked at Dino.   
“Excuse you, this is a private party.” Dino shot back.   
“Yeah? And that’s my fiancée.” He pointed at me.   
Two of Dino’s thugs rushed up behind Jesse. Dino shook his head, waving them off. “Apparently you couldn’t keep her satisfied.” He smirked.   
“I’m sorry babe.” I stood, walking over to him and grabbing him by the arm. “Let’s go okay.”   
He played tough guy, starting Dino down for a few seconds before following me away. I heard Dino’s groupies erupt in a fit of giggles as we headed for the door.   
“What was that?” I screamed at Jesse when we got to the parking lot.   
“Mike called. Rhodey recognized some guys going into the club. I didn’t want you to get stuck surrounded by a whole group of them, or get recognized.” He snapped back.   
“Oh...” I looked at my feet.   
Jesse just started walking towards the car. I slowly followed feeling like a little kid who just got in trouble. We drove in silence for awhile before I finally spoke.   
“Jesse, I’m sorry.”   
“I’m not mad.” He reached over putting his hand on my knee. I rested my hand on top of his.   
“I’m still sorry. I should’ve known...”   
“it’s fine, we don’t have to talk about it anymore.” He brought my hand up to him, kissing the back of it. “So did you learn anything about our friend?”   
“Not much that we didn’t already know. That guy is big boss man’s nephew, Dino, and they’re looking for me.”   
“Doesn’t anyone from St. Lucie have a normal name?” He joked.   
My phone rang and I quickly dug it out of my purse.   
“Michael.” I said to Jesse before answering it. “Yes Michael?”   
“I don’t think there’s anything we need to go over tonight. You guys can head home, we’ll talk tomorrow. Hopefully Sam will have a lead by then.”   
“Ok Michael, see you then. Tell Rhodey I said thanks and goodnight.”   
“Copy. Over and out.”   
“Bye Michael.” I hung up and put my phone back in my purse. “Michael says we don’t need to meet up, we can just go home.” I took off the wig, shaking my hair out. “That thing is super itchy.” 

We got to Jesse’s apartment and I went straight to the bathroom to wash the thirty pounds of makeup off my face. When I came out Jesse was already changed and standing in the kitchen.   
“That’s better.” He smiled.   
I walked over to the island. “What?”   
“You look better now. Not like a stripper anymore.”  
I opened my mouth in fake disgust. “Stripper huh?”   
“Just the truth. Some girls might need the whole clown look, but you’re gorgeous.”   
“Are you trying to get in my pants?” I giggled.   
“You aren’t wearing any pants.” He raised an eyebrow.   
“Touché.”   
He walked over to me, putting his hands on my waist. I rested my hands on his chest, I could feel his heart beating faster.   
“What are you thinking about Agent Porter?”   
“Some girl in a black dress.” He whispered, kissing my neck. I took his hand leading him to the bedroom. I laid on the bed and he got on top of me, kissing me deeply. We just kissed for awhile, taking it slow. He reached over his head grabbing the back of his shirt, starting to pull it off. For a second I couldn’t see his face, other images flooding my mind. The Shade members on top of me, doing the exact same things.   
“No.” I whispered, closing my eyes like I always did. “Not now.”   
“What’s wrong?” I heard Jesse say, but he sounded far away. All I could see now was them, grabbing me and holding me down. I felt a hand wrapping around my arm.   
“No!” I cried. Bringing my leg up fast and hard between Jesse’s. I heard him grunt, and I opened my eyes. His jaw was clenched and his forehead wrinkled.   
“Jesse, I’m sorry!” I gasped.   
He rolled off the bed and slid to the floor, his back to the bed. I slid down next to him, wrapping my arms around his arm.   
“I’m so sorry.” I kissed his bare shoulder.   
He had one hand over his mouth the other on his thigh.   
“I would’ve been cool with a ‘no thanks’, but that I guess works too.” He finally mumbled.   
“Jesse no, it’s not that. I wanted to... I wanted you.” I took a deep breath. “There’s more to my story I didn’t tell you, or anyone.”   
He looked at me as tears fell down my face.   
“Um, when we were successful in our heists the guys liked to celebrate; partying, getting drunk. I always stayed behind, but when they came back drunk and stuff, well I was there. They never really beat me up so I guess I’m sorta lucky...”   
Jesse waved his hand through the air stopping me. “Okay, stop that.” He wiped my tears with his thumb. “I’m sorry.”   
“You couldn’t have known. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry.” I sobbed.   
“Hey, I’m fine.” He pulled me into him, wrapping his arms around me. After a few minutes, of me just crying with Jesse rubbing my back and running his hand through my hair, I felt better. I pulled back looking at his tear soaked chest.   
“I’m sorry.” I sniffled, trying to wipe it off.   
He took my hands kissing my palms. “Stop apologizing.”   
“I can’t. I always knew what happened was going to mess me up, but I thought when I found someone I really loved, and it was my choice that wouldn’t matter.”   
“Love?” Jesse raised his eyebrows.   
“Oh,no.” I covered my mouth.   
“Relax.” He smirked grabbing my arms. “I love you too.” He pulled me back to him, and kissed me hard.   
I pulled back smiling at him, he returned to smile. I stood up giving him my hand.   
“Can you stand?” I asked.   
He slowly stood, hand over the effected area.   
“Are you really ok?”   
“Yeah.” He made a tough guy ‘I’m totally fine’ face. “Let me just walk it off.” He limped towards the kitchen.   
I changed into soft shorts and a t-shirt, and went to join him. Jesse sat at the island, a bag of ice in his lap. I kissed between his shoulder blades, resting my head on his shoulder.   
“I’m sorry.” I whispered.   
“I thought I told you to stop that.”   
“And I told you I can’t. You’re never going to want to try again. You’re going to want some girl who won’t assault you in the bedroom.”   
“You obviously don’t know me very well.” He grinned. I kissed his cheek.   
“Will you come back to bed?” He asked.   
“We can’t now. Can you?”   
“I don’t think so, but I still want to sleep with you your first night here.” He stood throwing the ice in the sink. I followed him back to bed. He laid on the right, and I snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms around me pulling me back against his chest.   
“Do you see me different now, like gross?”   
“No.” He whispered in my ear.   
“Like some kind of prostitute?”   
“No, but I’ve taken it upon myself to personally neuter and kill every member of The Shade...in that order.” He kissed my neck and sighed.   
I wiggled into him, he grunted but didn’t say anything else. I couldn’t be too enticing, because his torso was so long, my butt was even with his stomach. I finally fell asleep, wrapped in his arms, and for once in four years I didn’t have a nightmare.


	10. Chapter 10

I woke up to an empty bed and pouted like a child. I was hoping to wake up in Jesse’s arms, and kiss him awake; unfortunately that only happens in movies. I could smell coffee brewing in the kitchen through the slightly open door. Strange, Jesse wouldn’t leave the door open, would he? I frowned, getting up quietly. I tiptoed towards the door and peeked out, no Jesse in sight. But something caught my eye, white hair sticking up over the counter, like someone was bent over. I waited until the person stood.   
“Madeline?” I remarked walking towards her.   
She smiled when she saw me and rushed over to throw her arms around me.   
Madeline was the closest thing I’ve had to a mom since my own abandoned me. She treated me like a daughter almost from the start, I only say ‘almost’ because there was the little ‘mafia thief’ thing to get past.   
“What are you doing here, where’s Jesse?”   
“I’m here to see you. Jesse went to help Sam, he found some leads or something.”   
Sam found something, good, I thought. I really wanted to go find out what, but I didn’t want to be rude. Madeline came all the way out here.   
“Coffee?” She offered.   
“No, thank you. Not a big coffee drinker.” I sat at the island as Madeline fixed her coffee. “So...” I tried to sound casual. “You just decided to drop by?”   
She acted like she wasn’t going to say anything, then sat next to me. “Jesse didn’t want you to be alone. Fi called me and asked me to come be with you.”   
“Oh...okay.”   
“She also told me about a conversation the two of you had recently.”   
I’m going the kill her, I vowed silently. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” I avoided eye contact.   
“Oh, it was just something about some guy and a kiss that may or may not have happened.”   
I looked at her and let out a breath. “I love him Madeline.”   
She smiled softly, then almost frowned.   
“What Madeline?”   
“I shouldn’t.”   
“You already kinda started.”   
“Are you sure you love him, and not just the idea of him? I care about Jesse and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”   
“Of course I love him. What are you even talking about?” It was my turn to frown.   
“Now I’m not trying to accuse you of anything. It’s just both of you have been through a lot, and are naturally drawn together because of that fact. I just want to make sure you aren’t confusing feelings of longing, safety, or loneliness for your actual feelings.”   
“I’m really confused.”   
“Ok, um let’s see. You both lost people close to you, then your ‘jobs’.” She air quoted this. “And now you’re thrown into Michael’s crazy world. Where Michael and Fiona have each other, Sam has that Elsa woman...”   
“Madeline stop.” I stood putting my hands up to her. “Jesse and I have a relationship that has nothing to do with Michael. Yeah he may have brought us together, but the world doesn’t revolve around him. People have lives apart from his ‘jobs’. And yeah Jesse and I started talking about our pasts, so what, us having stuff in common makes us desperate? I fell in love with Jesse’s smile, his laugh, the way he always looks out for me, his stupid dance moves, and how he makes me feel like I can have a life again.” I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling down my cheeks. “You don’t know anything about us, and you’re certainly not one to preach about love.”   
She looked down.   
“Were you going to have this conversation with Jesse? Or does it just apply to the ex-mafia members?”   
“I didn’t mean it like that Cassie. You’re just so young, don’t think this is as far as you can go. You could leave, be anything you want to be, with anyone.”   
“Is that what this is about? You think I’m what? A gold digger? Jesse may have money, but not that much. Trust me if I was after money, I would have stayed with The Shade.”   
“You’re putting words in my mouth.”   
“And you’re not? I’m not the garbage people I left behind. If you’ll remember I was kidnapped, and forced, literally at gun point, to do what I did. I would never lead Jesse on or hurt him.”   
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you felt so strongly.”   
“Well you shouldn’t assume. I’m not the same person I was, I’m finally becoming myself when I’m around Michael, Fi, Sam, and Jesse. I feel like I’ve finally found a home. I thought you understood that.”   
“I do. They’re my home too. That’s why I’m willing to drop everything to leave Miami with them every few months. And that’s why I was worried, I do trust you Cassie. I guess I just sometimes see your past and forget that.”   
I just stood staring at her.   
“Please forgive me?” She requested.   
“Yeah.” I mumbled. “Just please don’t talk to Jesse like this.”   
“I promise.”   
There was a knock at the door. I crept towards it, grabbing Jesse’s nine mill. out of the hall closet. I peered through the peephole the opened the door.   
“Rhodey, you scared the crap out of me.” I hugged him, nine mill. still in hand.   
“Ok, Let’s put that down.” He held out my arm.   
I unloaded the pistol, and put it back in it’s place between two blankets. “What are you doing here?”   
“I came to take you for a little R&R. You’ve been so stressed lately, so says Fi, so I arranged a spa day for you.”   
“I don’t know Rhodey. I should help Fi and the guys.”   
“They have everything covered. In fact Sam suggested it, we have reservations at his girlfriend’s hotel.”   
I smiled a little. Elsa’s place was high end, and impossible to get into without a Sam hookup.   
“Ok fine. Let me get dressed.”   
“I’ll get going then.” Madeline stated.   
“Bye Mrs. Westen!” Rhodey chirped. 

During the drive me and Rhodey talked about old times growing up in St. Lucie. I told him about college life, and found out he had gone to a tech school for computer programming.   
We got to the hotel and Rhodey spent several minutes arguing with the guy at the front desk, who couldn’t find our reservations. I finally convinced front desk guy to call Elsa, she confirmed our appointments. As we walked away Rhodey flipped the guy off.   
“Hey!” I giggled. “It wasn’t his fault.”   
“It’s his fault for being a dumb ass.”   
“We’re supposed to be relaxing, remember?” I inhaled deeply and exhaled.   
As we were walking past the pool I thought I saw Sam. I did a double take, it was Sam. I hurried out towards him.   
“Hey! Where are you going?” Rhodey spun then followed me.   
“Sam what are you doing here? I thought you and Jesse were looking into a lead.”   
Sam was laying on a lounge chair, sipping a mojito. He looked up at me.   
“Hello to you too Cassie. Rhodey.” He tipped his head at Rhodey. “We were, but we hit a dead end. I suggested we have a drink and get back to it later. Jesse wanted to keep trying. So here I am drinking alone.”   
“I should go help him.”   
“Cass, you need this spa day, just relax. You can help out later. Now shoo!” Sam waved us away.   
Rhodey pulled me back to the hotel, and into the spa. I enjoyed it and really tried to relax, but I couldn’t keep my mind off of things. Five hours of pampering later, I was ready to get back to work; but Rhodey insisted on taking me out for food.  
We just sat down at the restaurant when Fi called me.   
“Cassie, if you’re not super busy could you stop by the loft. Jesse won’t stop working, and he won’t even talk to us. I’m not sure if he’s even eaten anything besides yogurt all day.”   
“Yeah I’ll be there in twenty.” I hung up, looking at my watch, ‘5:00pm.’   
“Rhodey I have to go.” I stood and kissed his cheek. “I’ll get a cab. Thanks for today.”   
He started to protest, but I was already headed for the door.   
When I walked into the loft Fi and Michael were sitting on the bed, rifling through some files. Jesse was at the table hunched over a laptop, not even looking up. Michael and Fi stood and I joined them.   
“He’s been like that for hours. Every time we try to talk to him he just grunts.” Fi stated.   
“What’s he even doing?” I asked.   
“Trying to get past a few firewalls. Sam got some information from his buddies that led us to that, which we believe is connected to The Shade.” Michael explained.   
I nodded, laid my bag on the bed, and walked over to Jesse. I put my hand on top of his head gently pulling him away from the screen. He sat back, leaning his head over the top of the chair, into my stomach.   
“Have you eaten anything?” I asked him.   
“Yeah, I had some yogurt.” He pointed to a stack of empty yogurt containers on the table.   
“I ment real food.”   
“Then no.”   
I heard Fiona ‘humph’ from behind me.   
“What are you doing?”   
He looked back at the screen. “Trying to get past these firewalls.”   
“Let me see.”   
He leaned back. I sat on his knee, and he put a hand on my hip.   
“You’ve been doing this all day?”   
“Pretty much.”   
“But you’ve gotten nowhere.” I looked back at him.   
“Well I had to try.”   
I had an overwhelming urge to kiss him. He’d been sitting here all day with no progress for me, while I was off getting my nails done.   
“I’ll take over.” I picked up the laptop and headed upstairs. “You get something to eat.” I ordered over my shoulder.   
Michael and Fi just stood looking shocked.   
“What just happened?” Michael asked.   
“Never underestimate the power of a woman.” Fi answered.   
I grinned as I walked up the stairs.


	11. Chapter 11

I worked all evening on the firewalls with some progress. Without knowing exactly what I was hacking made things... complicated. I looked down from my desk: Michael was in the kitchen eating a yogurt, Fi was on the bed still going through files, and Jesse was half asleep in Michael’s super uncomfortable lawn chair. I decided to call it a night, walking down, and setting the laptop on the table.   
“I sent the program to my computer, I’ll try and get some more information about this site.”   
“Alright, you should head home it’s getting late.” Michael suggested.   
“Yes mom.” I answered sarcastically.   
He just smiled at me.   
Fi jumped up and pulled me aside.   
“So have you told Jesse how you feel?”   
“I...I.” I stammered. I wanted to tell her, but then I remembered she already blabbed to Madeline about my little revelation to her. I definitely didn’t want Michael, or God forbid, Sam to find out. “No, I haven’t.” I lied. “It Just hasn’t felt like the right time.”   
“Screw the right time. You need to tell him.”   
“Fiona, when I tell him will be my decision. I’d appreciate if you butt out.” I started to walk away but turned back. “Oh, and next time I tell you something in confidence I’d appreciate a little less, I don’t know, telling everyone.”   
She opened her mouth like she was going to speak then closed it.   
I grabbed my bag and went over to Jesse, gently touching his arm.   
“Jesse, you ready to go?”   
He opened his eyes, looked around, then rubbed a hand over his face.   
“What? Yeah.” He mumbled. He stood and followed me out the door. Once we got outside he reached for my hand, wrapping it in his.   
“I missed you today.” He smiled.   
“I missed you too.” I faced him pushing up on my toes to kiss his cheek. “Are you awake enough to drive?”   
“Yeah.”   
On the way home he told me everything he had tried on the firewalls, which just confused me more. I had no idea what The Shade would be protecting this heavily, I’d never come across anything like it during my time with them.   
“I gotta go back to work tomorrow so I’ll drop you off at Mike’s in the morning.”   
“You don’t have to. I can stay at your place.”   
“Nuh uh, definitely not.”   
“Come on, Fi and I aren’t really getting along right now. I don’t want to spend all day with her.”   
“What’s wrong with you and Fi?”   
“Nothing, she just slightly betrayed my trust and I’m angry at her.”   
“Okay, isn’t this the kinda thing you’re always telling me I need to get over with Mike?”   
“No, well kinda, I guess. But it’s different.”   
“Uh huh.”   
“It’s girl stuff you wouldn’t understand.”   
He smirked and kissed my hand. 

When we got back to Jesse’s apartment I tried to work on my laptop some more, but I was running out of ideas and brain power. Jesse was on the couch, doing work stuff he was behind on. I went over to him, slipping between his arms, and sitting on his lap. He grinned and kissed me then looked back at his work.   
“Jesse.” I said playing with the buttons on his shirt. “You want to maybe...”   
He looked back at me. I raised my eyebrows and pouted my lips, which he didn’t hesitate to kiss.   
“Are you sure?” He mumbled kissing my neck.   
“Yes.”   
He stood, taking me with him. I quickly wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling myself against him; I finished unbuttoning his shirt as he carried me to the bedroom. He put me down, taking his shirts off.   
“That’s not getting in the way again.” He stated throwing them over the chair. I also took my shirt off. He just stood looking at me. I pulled myself to the top of the bed.   
“C’mon.” I curled my finger.   
He smirked before joining me. We again took things slow. Jesse made sure I was completely ready, not rushing anything. I could tell he was literally about to explode, man I loved him, so I told him it was ok. I held onto his arms, taking a deep breath, telling myself over and over everything was ok.   
“Just look at me ok.” He whispered.   
I nodded gently, and kept my eyes on his. It was like none of the other times. Jesse kept making sure I was ok, and never stopped kissing me. He finished and laid beside me, breathing heavy. I rolled onto him, kissing him deeply.   
“I love you Jesse.”   
“I love you too Cass.”   
I fell asleep on his chest, his arms around me.   
We woke to Jesse’s alarm blaring. He groaned and slammed his fist down on the snooze button. I was suddenly very self-conscious of our naked bodies pressed together, I blushed burying my face in his shoulder.   
“What?” He asked in a sleepy morning voice.   
“Nothing.” I giggled.   
I felt him turn his head towards me and kiss my cheek. I faced him, seeing his smile made me smile.   
“Last night was amazing Jesse.”   
“I know.” He smirked.   
I thumped his chest. The alarm blared again, he rolled over shutting it off.   
“You should call in sick.”   
“Love to. But unfortunately that’s the excuse I used last week.” He stood.   
I couldn’t help staring, this was the first time I saw the back of him.   
“You’re checking out my butt right?” He remarked walking to the closet. He came back in a pair of gray sweatpants.   
“Your turn.”   
“I think I’ll stay in bed for a few more minutes.”   
“Nuh uh girl not fair.”   
I huffed, then stood slowly, walking to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. His hands quickly found their place on my butt.   
“Happy?”   
“Very.” He leaned down to kiss me.   
I walked to the chair, grabbing his shirt from yesterday buttoning it half way.   
“What do you have to eat around here Porter, I’m famished?”   
He kissed me again before heading to the kitchen. We ate and had to hurry if Jesse was going to make it to work on time after dropping me off. When we got to the loft I sighed, I didn’t want to fight with Fi. She was my only friend, you know to talk about girl stuff with.   
“Can’t I go to work with you? I’ll hide in your office.”   
“No. Besides, I won’t even be in my office today, I’m running security checks.”   
I pouted. He leaned on his elbow on the middle console, and I grabbed his tie pulling him closer, kissing him.   
“Be safe.” I ordered when he leaned back.   
“Yes ma’am.” He smiled.   
I got out and watched him drive away, then headed up the stairs. 

Michael was still asleep, and Fiona was in the kitchen.   
“He’s not naked is he?” I asked Fi when I walked over to join her.   
“No you’re safe.” She looked into her coffee cup. “Listen, I’m sorry I told Madeline. I didn’t know she would do all that.”   
I gave her a curious look.   
“She called me last night and told me what happened.” She acknowledged. “I shouldn’t have betrayed your trust.”   
“It’s ok.” I patted her arm. “Us girls have to stick together right.”   
She smiled. “Right. So since we’re back on good terms, tell me about life at Jesse’s.”   
I bit back a smile. “It’s fine. I’m bummed I had to leave my apartment though.” It was the truth, I was bummed about leaving my place. But Jesse’s place had it’s advantages, naked Jesse for one.   
“We’ll get this mess sorted and find you a new place. Don’t worry.”   
“Yeah.” I thought about that. Did I really want to go back to being all alone? Being with Jesse was nice in more than a physical way. I liked just being with him, eating breakfast, working next to each other, sleeping wrapped in his arms. I wondered how Jesse felt, would he want me to move out after this was all over? I looked at Fi, snapping out of my thoughts. She was drinking her coffee while studying my face.   
“What? Sorry, I spaced out.”   
“Yes. You’ve been doing that more often recently.”   
“Sorry.” I muttered. “I should try to finish this.” I held up my laptop and headed for my ‘office’. When I was walking up the stairs Michael sat up, gun in hand.   
“A little late Michael.” I giggled over my shoulder.   
Hours pass by, I only took a bathroom break, and a lunch break. I was determined to get past these damn walls. Finally around two I made it through. I gasped, jumping up.   
“Yes! Suck it high tech security!” I shouted. Mike and Fi snapped their heads up at me.   
“I got through!” I grabbed my laptop running downstairs. I sat at the table and they stood on either side of me.   
“Ok let’s see what the big deal is.” I clicked a few times opening the files.   
“Banking records?” Fi muttered.   
Michael made a disgusted noise.   
“All that for bank transactions?” I groaned. “Three transactions. From one account to three separate accounts. Maybe I can see if the money was accessed from anywhere interesting.”   
“Try.” Michael demanded walking away.   
“Okay.” I finally said an hour later. “Two of the accounts were accessed at two different banks here in Miami.   
“So maybe these are the payoffs to the bounty hunters, an up front?” Fi stated.   
“Ok, so the guy Rhodey killed, Dino, and a third?” I questioned.   
“Why would you pay a bounty hunter an up front?” Michael muttered.   
“Maybe not an up front. You said the bounty hunter told them he had me, and Dino is a relative. So a payment to the first guy, financial aid for Dino.” I added.   
“Ok, so who’s the third payment to?” Fi asked.   
“We might be able to find out. We don’t know who accessed the money. It could’ve been the third guy and Dino. The bounty hunter might not have picked up his money before Rhodey killed him.” I told Michael.   
“Ok...” He started. “So how do we find that out?”   
“It can only be accessed from the bank’s computers. I can’t get into them remotely.”   
“So we have to rob a bank?” He put his hand to his forehead.   
“Of information, yes.” I replied. I wrote down the addresses, handing the paper to Michael. “I’ll look up the blueprints to give you an idea of the layouts.” I told him. “You should call Jesse. Tell him to bring his best heist outfit.”   
Michael narrowed his eyes at me. “Funny.” He said sarcastically.


	12. Chapter 12

Jesse showed up around seven, dressed in black. He walked over to me, a duffle bag in hand.   
“I got something for you.” He smiled, setting the bag on the table with a metallic thud.   
“What is it?” I looked up from my screen at him.   
“Open it.”   
I stood and walked around the table. He side stepped so I could stand in front of the bag. I started to slowly unzip it.   
“C’mon we ain’t got all night.” He insisted.   
I quickly finished opening it, then picked up the gift. It was a Barrett M107, a light weight sniper rifle.   
“It’s beautiful.” A tear literally came to my eye. “Thank you.” I set it down and turned to hug him. He wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my head. I held on for a little too long before realizing we were trying to keep our personal relationship a secret. I quickly pulled away, turning back to the table. The bag also held several boxes of ammo for the rifle.   
“Let’s get going. I want to scout the place in at least a little light.” Michael ordered.   
We all headed out, piling into Fi’s car. Michael and Fi went to look around the bank, checking exits and security systems. Jesse and I got the gear ready.   
“Here.” I handed him a flash drive and a piece of paper with the account information on it. “This is the information and...”   
He interrupted me with a kiss. “Sorry couldn’t stand not doing that.” He grinned.   
“Stay on track, Porter. This has to be fast and flawless. You have to get in, get the information, cover your tracks, and get out in two minutes; because that’s when the police will be called.”   
“Yeah, yeah. I could do it with one hand tied behind my back.” He boasted. His body language oozing confidence. I wish I had a fraction of that, I always got so nervous, hoping everything would go smoothly.   
Michael and Fi returned, Mike speaking.   
“Everything is like we thought. We’ll have two minutes, after I disable the security, until the police are called. And since there are patrols in the area, they’ll be here in under sixty seconds. Fi wil drive, Jesse and I wil enter and extract, Cassie is lookout.” He pointed to a ladder on the side of a building across the street from the bank. “We’ll hit the bank at ten p.m. sharp, sync watches.”   
We all looked at our watches and synced on Mike’s signal.   
“Better get set up, Cass.” Jesse lifted my new rifle out of the trunk, handing it to me. I took it, slung it over my shoulder, and clipped my walkie to my belt, then headed for the roof. I set up and watched them get into the car. They did a slow U-turn then ended up in front of the bank at 9:55.   
Fi let the guys out then headed up the street a block, staying away from the soon to be crime scene. At ten I held my breath, but no alarms blared, a good sign. At ten o’ one I stated to get anxious.   
Suddenly two black SUVs flew around the corner, heading for the bank.   
“What the hell?” I muttered.   
A group of guys, guns in hand, jumped out in front of the bank. I looked through my scope to the passenger seat of the lead SUV, Dino. I quickly grabbed my walkie. “Guys wrap it up we’ve got company.”   
“What?” Michael came back.   
“Dino and his goons. This must be his bank, someone must’ve been watching. They’re coming in the back. You’re clear out front, only Dino is left out here.”   
“We’re on our way.” Michael huffed.   
Jesse and Michael burst out the door, running past Dino. Michael put a few rounds in the side of the SUV to keep him in. The goons were right on their heels, running out of the bank, which was now blaring with alarms. Dino was yelling at the, what, I couldn’t hear. But the lead goon raised his arm towards Jesse. I pulled the trigger, sending a bullet ripping through his elbow. He roared and hit the ground hard. The rest of them took cover, either jumping in their cars or diving behind mailboxes. I looked back at Michael and Jesse. They had reached Fi and she pulled away, heading around the block to pick me up behind this building. I sent a few more rounds down at Dino’s guys, keeping them at bay. Then hurried down the ladder, sprinting down the alley. The sound of sirens grew louder as the cops got closer, Dino would worry about running not following us. I made it out onto the road and scanned for Fi’s car.   
“Cassie!” Jesse yelled from the right. I saw Fi’s car and ran to it, jumping in beside Jesse.   
“Well I think we know who’s name is on that account.” I said breathlessly.   
“We have one more shot. But now we’ll have to wait for things to cool down.” Michael fumed. 

Two weeks went by. Jesse worked so I hardly saw him. I spent most of my days with Sam and Rhodey at the hotel. I think Rhodey and I annoyed Sam, we were acting like children. Running around the hotel, playing pranks on the employees, and maybe a few guests.   
Michael finally called us together to discuss our next move. Rhodey had his arm around me as we walked in, everyone turned and looked at us. I saw a flash of something cross Jesse’s face for a second before he went back to stone face. Anger, hatred, jealousy, a combination maybe?   
“You two are five minutes late.” Michael scolded.   
“Sorry boss.” Rhodey retorted, walking to the fridge and getting himself a beer.   
I stood next to Jesse, who glanced sideways at me. Rhodey came over to my other side, when he did Jesse stretched his arm across my shoulders. The unexpected weight put me off balance and I fell into him, at which he gave the slightest smirk. I stood up, readjusting my feet on the floor. Fi shot me a look, I just shrugged my shoulders under Jesse’s arm.   
“Ok.” Michael started. “We’ve waited long enough, Dino is getting antsy, and I’m sick of hiding out as I’m sure all of you are.”   
Sam scoffed looking at Rhodey and I. Rhodey just smiled at him, but I looked at my feet.   
Michael ignored this and continued. “Hopefully hitting this bank will give us the name of the unknown hit man. We’ll run it just like the last, hopefully this time Dino won’t show up.”   
“Umm, might be a problem Mike.” Jesse remarked. “I’m working a security job every night this week.”   
“I can go.” Rhodey piped in.   
Jesse stared daggers at him.   
“I love the pep.” Mike answered. “But I think Sam should take this one.”   
Sam made a face.   
“What?” Mike grunted.   
“Nothing it’s just. Elsa’s having a gala and...”   
Mike closed his eyes.   
“Sorry brother.” Sam apologized.   
“Ok, it looks like you’re in.” Michael looked at Rhodey. “But you’ll obey orders like a good little soldier, Understood?”   
“Yes sir!” Rhodey half heartedly saluted.   
Michael filled Rhodey in on the details, while Fiona gathered the gear, and Sam took off.   
“Can I talk to you for a second?” Jesse nodded towards the door.   
I followed him out and down the stairs. He leaned on the hood of his new Porsche, almost identical to the old one, minus a few burn marks. I stood a few feet in front of him, crossing my arms against the chilly evening air.   
“I know I’ve been working and we haven’t seen much of each other, but...”   
“Are you breaking up with me?” I stammered.   
“What? No, why would you, never mind. Anyway I know you’ve been hanging with Sam and Rhodey at the hotel because it’s safe and stuff.”   
“Jesse please get to it before I have a panic attack.”   
He frowned, obviously whatever he wanted to say was hard for him. He took a deep breath. “Do you like Rhodey. Like do you...you know...” He looked like an innocent little puppy.   
I laughed, cackled is maybe a better word.   
He wrinkled his forehead.   
I finally got myself under control, wiping my tears with my hand then onto my jeans.   
“You’re not jealous are you?”   
He frowned. “I’m serious.”   
“Jesse, Rhodey and I are like brother and sister. There was a brief thing in high school.” I shuddered. “But no.”   
“You didn’t have to act like a crazy woman. It was a serious question, I see the way you are with him.”   
“I’m just comfortable with him mostly, that’s all.” I shrugged.   
“And you’re not with me?” His puppy was coming out again.   
I went to him, standing between his legs, wrapping my arms around his neck.   
“I’m comfortable around you...and tingly.” I kissed him, feeling him grin. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him, and deepening the kiss.   
I heard the door open, and quickly pushed off him. His hands lingered for a second before he dropped them onto his thighs.   
“We’re almost ready, Cass.” Rhodey called down. “I came to get you.”   
“Ok, I’m coming.”   
Rhodey hesitated for a second then shut the door.   
“We should just tell them.” Jesse spoke.   
“Not now.” I took a step before he grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him, he kissed my cheek.   
“Be careful, ok.”   
“You too.” I ran a hand over his stubbly cheek before heading inside.   
We got to the bank and set up like before; me on the roof, Fi in her car, Mike and Rhodey going in. I waited anxiously in my perch for a whole minute before something very déjà vu happended. Two black SUVs, with bullet holes, sped to the bank.   
“Michael, Dino’s back!” I hissed into the walkie.   
“You gotta be kidding me.”   
“No same deal, they’re coming in the back.”   
Michael and Rhodey burst through the front doors. This time the goons were literally on top of them. Michael punches the front guy in the nose, and Rhodey crotch kicks the next. They take off down the block as sirens wail closer. The next guy raises his gun, but I stop him. Not so lucky with the second, he squeezes off a shot a second before I can drop him. Michael lets out a cry, stumbling forward, into Rhodey making him fall. Michael helps him up with his good arm, Rhodey stands and follows Michael, but then quickly turns back. He runs back to where he fell, bending to pick something up. I try to keep Dino’s boys busy, but they’re determined this time. Rhodey finally makes it to the car, and Fi burns rubber, getting away fast. Dino points toward me, and I hustle for the ladder. I make it to the alley as Dino’s boys are crossing the street, I only have a small head start. I book it down the alley, Fi pulls up right at the end, sticking her .45 out the window to cover me. She fires down the alley. I hear cries of ‘Get down’ behind me as I jump into the car and Fi speeds away.   
Michael’s arm is bleeding excessively, he grunts occasionally as we head for the loft.  
Rhodey and Fi quickly take Michael in to fix his arm, while I grab the gear. Fi patches his arm, luckily the bullet didn’t hit an artery, and went straight through.   
“Where’s the flash drive?” Michael questions.   
Rhodey holds out his hand. The drive is almost unrecognizable.   
“It broke when I dropped it.”   
“It looks like you also stomped on it.” Fi stated.   
Michael leaned his head back. “Can you save it, Cass?”   
“Nothing to save, Mikey.” I answered taking the broken drive from Rhodey’s hand.   
Michael groaned and slammed his fist on the table. “Another dead end!”


	13. Chapter 13

“What are we going to do now Michael?” Fi asked.   
“I don’t know yet.”   
“We should get some rest.” Rhodey suggested. “I’ll take you home Cass.”   
“I can’t. I have to stay here with Fi and Michael... Jesse’s orders.” I bit my lip.   
“Who died and made him king?” Rhodey scoffed. “Whatever, see ya.” He threw a hand up as he walked out the door.   
“Well he didn’t sound very happy.” Fi stated.   
Michael laid down on the bed, closing his eyes. Fi shut the main lights off, leaving only a small light in the kitchen on.  
I went upstairs, sitting at the desk, and opening my laptop to go through the bank accounts again; hoping to see something I missed. Fi came up and sat on the couch. “This isn’t your fault you know.” She remarked.   
“What?”   
“All of this. These people are criminals, if they weren’t after you it would be someone else. We’re you’re friends we want to help you.”   
I turned to her, letting the tears I’d been holding in finally go. She patted beside her. I went, let her wrap her arms around me, and just cried; for an embarrassingly long time.   
“Thanks Fi.” I whispered when I had finally composed myself.   
“I’m always here for you Cassie. You’ve been through a lot but you don’t have to go through it alone anymore.”   
In that moment I wanted to spill my guts, tell her everything. Everything The Shade did to me, everything I helped them with, and about Jesse. But I just nodded instead.   
“Get some sleep.” She went down with Michael. I shut off my laptop and laid down on the couch. 

Another week went by with no new leads, and clueless Dino was making no headway. Michael pretty much healed up, resting against his will. Jesse worked night shifts all week so we were asleep while the other was awake. Fi and I kept surveillance on Dino and his boys, but they were at a standstill like us. Rhodey despised having to keep a low profile. He had always been a bit of a wild child, never satisfied with doing ‘nothing’. I was fine it, ‘nothing’ was safe, ‘nothing’ ment no one getting hurt.  
When Jesse’s night job was finally finished, he was eager to be with me. He picked me up at the loft at four in the morning, and held my hand all the way into his apartment. Once there he carried me over his shoulder into his room. I was super tired but I missed him as much, maybe more than he missed me. When he reached over to the night stand I groaned internally. I hated condoms, even the new ones Jesse bought which claimed to be ‘just like the real thing’. But I’m a princess and the pea, so I could tell they weren’t. He’d had a long night so he started right away, but my mind was wandering to what had been happening.   
“Jesse, why didn’t the killer guy just come after me to begin with, he knew where I lived?”   
He paused. “You really want to talk about this now?”   
“No, sorry.” I put my hand on the back of his neck, rubbing in small circles. I wasn’t going to get any answers out of him now, his brain had gone south.   
“Right there Jesse!” I gasped.   
“There?” He grinned repeating his motion.   
I made small noises in his ear, which I recently discovered drove him crazy.   
He brought his mouth to mine kissing deeply, which was returned. He tried to pull away, but I bit his lip making him groan into my mouth.   
He finished, lowered himself onto me, and wrapped his arms around me. I kissed his neck, massaging my hands across his shoulders. I looked at his bicep, that I’d been holding. There were long scratches, some of them bleeding a little. I gently touched one.   
“Jesse, I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize I was...”   
He cut me off with a laugh, bringing his lips back to mine. “I never thought I’d have to admit this, but that kinda pushed me over the edge.”   
“Lier. You just don’t want me to feel bad for hurting you, once again.”   
“I’m serious. Apparently having a tiny little woman beat me up turns me on.” He laughed again, before pulling the sheet over him, and kissing down my stomach. I held onto the sheets as he sent me to cloud nine.   
I woke to the sound of my phone dinging. Jesse was on top of me, so I had to wake him up before I could move. He grunts and rolls off me. I got up, grabbed my phone, and rushed back to bed. Jesse wrapped an arm around me as I checked my text messages.   
“It’s Rhodey. He says to meet at the hotel.”   
“Did Sam find something?” Jesse asked in a deep morning voice.   
“I don’t know he didn’t say.”   
“It can’t be that important if he didn’t call.” Jesse pulled me to him, and kissed me. “Let’s just let Mike deal with it.”   
“I can just go. You stay here and catch up on your sleep.” I rolled out of bed and headed for the closet.   
“You know that’s not happening, right?” He called after me, I heard him get up and walk out. I got dressed and met him on his way back. He was wrapped in a towel and glistening.   
“How do you shower so fast?”   
“It’s the no hair, really speeds things up.”   
“Maybe I should try it.” I grabbed a piece of my hair.   
“No, you definitely should not.”   
I laughed.   
I made quick on the go smoothies as Jesse joined me in the kitchen.   
“Nice shirt. Do they make it in your size?” I snorted. His shirt was ridiculously tight.   
“You said Rhodey was going to be there.” He leaned against the counter flexing his arms.   
“Yeah...” I wasn’t sure what he was going on about. “so...”   
“So.” He popped a peck at me.   
I laughed. “Why are you so jelly?”   
“I’m not. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He went to the fridge, apparently very interested in it’s contents.   
“Jelly, jelly.” I taunted.   
“Ok, you can stop that right now.”   
“J-huh-elly!” I sang.   
He spun around and lifted me onto the counter. I couldn’t breathe through my laughter.   
“Oh, you think that’s funny?” He tickled up and down my sides.   
“Stop! I’m going to die! Stop!” I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him against the counter. He laughed and kissed my forehead.   
“You don’t have to be jealous. Rhodey is just my friend. Besides he’s kinda on the short side.”   
This made Jesse smile.   
“And he’s childish most of the time.”   
“And, just saying, but have you seen the dude’s hands? Baby hands.” He laughed. “Not like these bad boys.” He put his hand on my face, reaching from my chin to rest his fingers on top of my head.   
“Stop!” I laughed. “You’re messing up my hair. C’mon we have to go.”   
He kissed me then set me on the ground. I grabbed my smoothie and bag as we headed out. “Oh, and I don’t mind the toddler shirt that much.” I smirked and he followed me out.   
We got to the hotel and scanned the lobby for everyone.   
“I don’t see them.” Jesse reported.   
“I’ll ask.” I walked to the front desk. “Did anyone leave anything for us?” I asked the guy at the desk.   
“Yes Miss Cassie, your friend is waiting in the back conference room.”   
Jesse knit his brow at me, shrugged, and lead the way down the hall.   
We got to the room, and saw Rhodey sitting at the table alone. Jesse looked around then cleared his throat, making Rhodey turn in his chair.   
Rhodey literally rolled his eyes and sighed when he saw Jesse.   
“Um...Rhodey. Where is everyone?” I asked.   
“Hell if I know.” He snapped back.   
Jesse raised his eyebrows, and tilted his head at me.   
I shrugged back at him with an ‘I don’t know’ face.   
“Want to fill us in?” Jesse stated.   
“They must’ve bailed.” Rhodey defended. “They told me to be here.”   
“Doesn’t really sound like them.” Jesse pulled out his phone dialing Michael’s number. “Hey Mike. Where you at? Yeah...uh huh...well Rhodey seemed to think we were supposed to meet at the hotel. Yeah...ok...bye.”   
Rhodey turned back in his chair, away from us again.   
“Ok, so Mike and Sam are on Dino duty and Fi is with Madeline...so...”   
We both looked at Rhodey’s back.   
“I must’ve misunderstood the text.” Rhodey stood walking over to us. “Sorry.”   
“Can I see?” I asked.   
“No, I deleted it.” Rhodey shrugged pushing past Jesse. “Nice shirt man.” He snorted over his shoulder.   
Jesse just grinned after him. “Two seconds from beating his ass, Cass, two seconds.”   
“You asked for the shirt comment.”   
He poped his peck at me.   
I smiled.   
“That’s right, you love it.”   
I just shook my head walking out of the room. When we got to the lobby Rhodey was nowhere to be seen.   
“Now where did he go?” I grumbled.   
“Little twerp makes us come all the way here, then bails.” He made a ‘small’ sign with his thumb and finger. “This close, Cass.”   
“Ok calm down. That was weird.”   
“Everything about that dude is weird. I’ve been trying to tell you.”   
“Oh, you have not.”   
“Well I’m telling you now.”  
We left the hotel, Jesse was on high alert, acting super paranoid. He kept looking around, and putting his hand on his hip, where his .45 was holstered.   
“Jesse chill.” I took his hand to make him stop.   
“Something’s not right. I got a heebie jeebie feeling.”   
“Yeah, and it’s contagious, so stop you’re making me hyper.”   
“Sorry babe, I won’t let anything happen.”   
We went to relieve Michael and Sam from Dino watch duty.   
“So what was the deal at the hotel?” Michael asked.   
“Not really clear on that. Rhodey thought your text ment meet at the hotel.” I answered.   
“I didn’t text him. I’ve never texted him.” Michael looked at Sam.   
“Don’t look at me. Elsa said if I ever invited him back, we were through.”   
“Interesting.” Jesse remarked.   
“Indeed it is.” Michael added. “We should go. Good luck.” They drove off.   
“I’m so going to beat Rhodey’s ass now. I gave up being naked with you, just to visit him at the hotel.”   
“Stop.” I blushed, and hit his arm. “C’mon we’ve got a Dino to watch.”   
We watched Dino all afternoon into evening, when Michael and Fi came to relieve us.   
“Anything?” Michael asked.   
“Nothing. Dude stayed in his room all day. It’s like he stopped trying or something.” Jesse replied.   
“Sam’s hit a dead end, no surprise, so we have a new strategy.” Michael started. “I borrowed some equipment from the CIA. We’re going to get a bug on Dino so we can listen and track him from the loft. Now we can stop sitting in hot cars all day.”   
“Sounds good, but how are we going to get it on him?” I questioned.   
“Fi will catch up with him at the club tonight.” Michael explained.   
I bit my lip.   
Jesse saw, and gave me an ‘everything will be ok’ look.   
“Ok, just please be careful.” I finally said.   
Michael looked at Jesse then me. “Is there something I need to know?” He asked.   
“About what?” Jesse responded innocently.   
“You know what, never mind. We’ll see you tomorrow.”   
When we got back in the car Jesse spoke.   
“I think we need to tell them, it’s getting weird.”   
“No it’s not.” I fake chuckled.   
He looked at me over his sunglasses.   
“Ok, maybe a little.” I agreed.


	14. Chapter 14

We woke the next morning to phone noises once again.   
“I’m throwing those damn things out the window.” Jesse grumbled.   
I got up, threw on his t-shirt, and grabbed his phone off the chair.   
“It’s Michael. Here.” I bumped his arm.   
“Yeah.” He answered it, putting it on speaker.   
“We have a problem Jesse.” Michael responsed. “The bug on Dino is working and you won’t believe what he’s been saying.”   
A loud explosion came from the parking lot out front. I hurried to the window.   
“What the hell!” Jesse dropped his phone on the floor, and came up behind me.   
I pulled the curtain back, and looked down.   
“What? My car!” Jesse roared.   
“Jesse listen!” Michael yelled through the phone. “Rhodey is working...” the phone went dead.   
As Jesse turned to grab it, the door flew open, and I heard a hammer click back.   
“You little piece of shit.” Jesse growled.   
I slowly turned to see Rhodey smiling as he held a revolver trained on Jesse.   
“Move and I’ll blow your big ass head off.”   
“Rhodey, what the hell!” I cried.   
“Sorry to have to let myself in like this. You just had to keep avoiding me in public or bringing this asshole everywhere.” His gaze switched to Jesse. “I knew you were protecting her, but I didn’t know you were hitting it on the side.”   
“Shut your damn mouth before I...”   
Rhodey interrupted him. “Uh huh, better shut up before I decide that you’re more trouble than you’re worth Jesse boy.”   
“Jesse, it’s ok.” I grabbed his hand, wrapping my other arm around his.   
“Now let’s put some damn pants on.” Rhodey motioned with the gun.   
Jesse didn’t move.   
“Now!” Rhodey yelled.   
I let go of him, and he bent down, picking up his jeans.   
“Nice and easy big guy.” Rhodey took a step back. “Hands out.”   
Jesse spread his fingers out, using his thumbs to pull his jeans on.   
“You too, Cass.”   
I put my hands out to my side, stepped around Jesse, walked to the other side of the bed, and pulled my jeans on.   
“Alright let’s go.” Rhodey backed out the door, motioning for Jesse to follow him.   
Jesse shot a quick glance at me then the head of the bed. His .45 was under the pillow.   
I gently shook my head at him.   
“Move!” Rhodey yelled.   
Jesse obeyed, walking out. I slowly followed.   
“Now we’re going to go downstairs to my Jeep, if you cause any problems,” He looked at Jesse. “I’ll put a bullet in her. And I know what you’re thinking, he wouldn’t kill her, and you’d be right. But that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt her.” He smiled again.   
“Can I get my hoodie?” I asked pointing to it on the couch.   
Rhodey glanced at it, then back stepped to it, patted it down, then threw it to me.   
“Cassie get him a shirt and shoes. No games or I’ll kill him.” Rhodey ordered.   
I went to the closet, and came back with a button up shirt and a pair of his Jordan’s.   
“Not my J’s baby. I don’t want to get this fool’s blood on them.” Jesse said.   
Rhodey laughed.   
I threw his shoes in front of him, and he slipped them on.   
“One arm at a time.” Rhodey demanded.   
I helped Jesse, holding his shirt so he could put his arm through.   
“Think you’re so tough when you’re the only one with a gun huh?” Jesse scoffed.   
“Jesse stop.” I whispered.   
“Ok, let’s go, nice and calm.” Rhodey motioned towards the door. “Cassie you first.”   
I started, Jesse right behind me, keeping himself between me and Rhodey. When I opened the door Jesse pushed me out, then spun, opening the closet door into Rhodey’s face. He dug through the closet, looking for his nine mill.   
“Jesse, no!” I shouted.   
Rhodey slammed the door on Jesse, then hit him on the back of the head with his gun.   
“No, Rhodey, stop!” I cried.   
Jesse fell to the floor holding his head.   
“Looking for this?” Rhodey pulled the nine mill. out of his waistband. “Cassie showed me where that was last time I was here.” He kicked Jesse’s side. I heard a crack and Jesse groaned.   
“Now you ruined everything. I thought I could trust you Jess.” Rhodey threw me a zip tie. “His hands, now.”   
I bent down, pulled his hands to me, and zip tied them together. “You have to stop, please.” I begged.   
“Listen to her Jesse boy. Next step is a bullet in the back of your thick skull.”   
I helped him up. He groaned again leaning at a weird angle.   
“Now, I said let’s go.” He shoved Jesse.   
We rode the elevator down to the lobby. Rhodey put his gun in his waistband.   
“Don’t let the guard get suspicious now.”   
I stood in front of Jesse, wrapping my hands around his wrists. He rested his hands on my lower back, and we walked out.   
“Good morning Mr. Porter.” It was Abbey. “I called the fire department about your car. They’re on their way.”   
“Thanks Abbey.” Jesse smiled at her. “I’ll go wait for them outside.”   
We left the building, and went to Rhodey’s Jeep. He let us in the back, and zip tied my hands, then pulled out a small black pouch, taking out a small syringe and readying it.   
Jesse sighed, closed his eyes, and bowed his head.   
“Jesse.” I couldn’t stop the tears.   
Jesse took my hand.   
“It’s alright love, just something to help you sleep through the ride.” Rhodey grinned. He put the needle into my neck and emptied it, then did the same to Jesse.   
I tried to fight it, I could tell Jesse was too, as we pulled out of the parking lot. We barely made it a block before I slumped against Jesse, my vision going dark.   
I woke up shivering, opening my eyes I slowly looked around. It was almost completely black; only a small, dim light bulb lit up the small, cold room. My hands were still tied in front of me but I wasn’t bound in any other way. I sat up turning around.   
“Jesse!” I stood and stumbled to him; my feet felt like icicles. He was on a crate, his hands were tied to a beam with heavy duty rope. I knelt in front of him gently touching his cheek. He was almost colder than I was, but I was wearing my hoodie.   
“Jesse, wake up.” I shook him.   
He groaned, then raised his head to meet my eyes. He tried to move his arms, and groaned again.   
“I think I have a few broken ribs.” He breathed fast, shallow breaths. “Where the hell are we? I need an AC system like this.”   
I stood up looking fully around. Shelves full of boxes lined the wall behind Jesse, on the other side was a door. I went to it, trying the handle, obviously locked.   
“Jesse, I think we’re in a freezer.”   
“Great I needed some ice for my head.”   
“What are we going to do?”   
“Not much we can do now, but try to stay warm. Can you untie me?”   
I went behind him. “No, there’s some kind of metal lock holding the rope together.” I walked back in front on him.   
“Sit.” He nodded to his lap.   
I gently sat down, trying not to hurt his ribs.   
“Jesse I’m so sorry.” I sobbed.   
“Hey, this isn’t your fault. Rhodey is a frickin psycho.”   
Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I breathed hot on his neck.   
“That feels good though, cry, go on let it out girl.”   
I laughed through my tears, kissing his neck.   
“Yeah, that’s working too.”   
“Yeah?” I nibbled his ear.   
“Um-hmm.” He hummed.   
What felt like hours past. I had to keep rubbing Jesse’s arms, hands, and chest to keep him warm since he couldn’t move. I could do jumping jacks and push-ups to keep me from completely freezing, I’d already lost the feeling in my fingers and toes. I tried to warm myself up then sit on Jesse to warm him, but it wasn’t working so much anymore. If I couldn’t keep myself warm, there’s no way I could share it. His fingers were turning pale, the second stage of frostbite; I kept trying to rub his hands in mine and put them under my shirt. But it was hard the way he was tied.   
“Jesse we have to do something.”   
His breathing was getting shallower.   
“I think one of your ribs did something to your lungs.”   
“I’m fine.” He mumbled.   
“No, you’re not.” I knelt in front of him.   
He was struggling to keep his eyes open.   
“Don’t you dare pass out.” I trembled with as much fear as cold.   
“I love you Cassie. I’m sorry I didn’t keep you safe.”   
“Stop that.” I started crying. “You have kept me safe.”   
He blinked slowly until his eyes didn’t open again.   
“Jesse.” I took his face between my hands. “No, Jesse you need to wake up, please.” I cried. I stood, rushed to the door, pounding on it and screaming. To my surprise there was a click in the other side, and the door opened. Rhodey shoved me back, and I fell to the ground.   
“Rhodey please just let him go. You want me not him. Take me back to St. Lucie, and let him go.”   
“‘Fraid not sweetheart. You see The Shade wants you, but there are a few people that wouldn’t mind having Agent Porter either, so I get to play with him some more.”   
“Why are you doing this?”   
“Nothing personal honey, just business, you can understand. Him on the other hand.” He looked at Jesse. “He just really pissed me off. Not dying when I planted the bomb in his car, keeping you away from your apartment, which I took all that trouble to break into. Then letting that son of a bitch bounty hunter get him, I mean really. Then he wouldn’t leave you alone for five damn minutes, so more trouble to get a key made. Oh and I blew up his car again, just for fun.” He chuckled.   
“What? You broke into...Jesse’s car. The bounty hunter was using Sugar then.”   
“Ding ding ding, give the girl a prize.” He clapped. “C’mon story time’s over, we have to get you ready for your video call.   
“You can’t leave Jesse in here!” I shouted.   
“Don’t worry about Jesse boy he’ll live.” He grabbed my arm, pulled me out, and nodded to two thugs who stood outside the door. They went in after we walked away.   
“Jesse!” I cried as Rhodey dragged me away.  
I wouldn’t shut up so Rhodey gave me another dose of sleepy juice. It must have been a lower dose than before, because I could still hear what was going on. I heard scuffling and what sounded like furniture being moved around. I woke up when Rhodey slapped me across the face.   
“Someone wants to see ya.” He grinned, stepping aside to reveal a computer screen. Dino sat in a leather office chair.   
“Nice to finally see you, Cassie.” He smiled.   
“Oh, you saw me a day after you came to town. Crystal with the annoying fiancé.” I smirked at him.   
He looked shocked for a millisecond before composing himself.   
“Ok, that’s enough.” Rhodey stepped back in front of me. “You’ve seen she’s fine, now get me my money.” He slammed the laptop closed. “Now we can chat.”  
Rhodey’s thugs brought Jesse in. He had fresh bruises on his face, but the two guys were having trouble, he was fighting them the whole way.   
“How about we settle down big boy.” Rhodey picked up something from the table. It looked like a nightstick, but he pushed a button and it lit up like a Christmas tree. He shoved it into Jesse’s abdomen, and Jesse dropped to the floor.   
“You better not have hurt her.” Jesse grunted from the floor.   
Rhodey looked astonished.   
“Jesse I’m fine. Stop fighting them you stubborn ass.”   
Jesse smiled at this, showing bloody teeth. “I can’t let little shit have all the fun.” Jesse smirked at Rhodey, who touched the stick to his side. Jesse cried out.   
The two guys came back with a chair, and tied Jesse to it.   
“Why her Jesse?” Rhodey asked. “You’re an attractive fellow, you could have any woman. Especially if what they say is true, you know, about black guys.” He looked at me. “Is it true Cass?”   
I spit at him. “Screw you.”   
“Yes he did that, didn’t he. I just don’t see what you see Jess. I mean we dated a bit in high school, she never let me past second, and even that was so-so.”   
“Man shut the hell up.” Jesse growled.   
“Maybe I should see what all the fuss is about.” He smiled at me.   
Jesse was stabbing him in his mind.   
“I mean you’ve almost died like four times trying to protect a piece of ass.”   
Jesse was breathing so hard the veins in his neck bulged, and I could hear soft growls from his throat. “You lay one hand on her.”   
“What, you’ll beat me up?” Rhodey laughed.   
“No, I was going to say I’d shoot you, but whatever.”   
Rhodey just laughed again. “As much as I’d love to stay, I have a few final arrangements to make.” Rhodey walked out of the large room we were in, and I heard the door lock behind him.   
Jesse looked around. “I think we’re in some kind of factory. We passed a bunch of conveyer lines when they brought me in here.”   
“Do you think Michael has found us yet?”   
“No way to know. Hopefully he’s close at least.”   
“Dino’s already in the payment process, we can’t have more than an hour before they arrange the trade.”   
Jesse looked around again, searching for a way out. “There’s nothing in here to cut us out.”   
“I don’t need cut anymore. Rhodey handcuffed me.”   
Jesse raised his eyebrows. “Please tell me you’re telling me this for a reason.”   
I smiled. “I have a bobby-pin in my front pocket.”   
“That’s my girl. Can you move?”   
Jesse’s hands and feet were tied to his chair, but my hands were just cuffed around my chair. I used my feet to scoot the lightweight chair towards Jesse, trying not to be too loud. When I finally made it over to him I was out of breath.   
“How are you going to get it?” I mumbled.   
“Put your leg on mine, maybe I can reach it.”   
I obeyed, trying to get my pocket close to his hand.   
“Almost...Got it!”   
I quickly turned my back to him, and he dropped the pin into my hand. It took me only a minute to pop the cuffs off.   
“No what should we do?” I asked.   
“You get out of here, and get help.”   
“Oh, nuh uh, definitely not mister.” I looked at the cuffs in my hand, then bent down using them to saw at Jesse’s ties.   
“That’s going to take to long Cassie, just go.”   
“I’m not leaving you!” Tears threatened to spill down my face. I stood and looked around again. The room was empty except for the table the laptop had sat on, and our chairs. But there was a small window about seven feet from the ground. I started pushing the table towards it.   
“Cass, c’mon stop, just get out of here.”   
“Shut up Jesse!” I shot back. I pushed the table under the window, and got up on it. The window was old, cheap glass. I took off my hoodie, wrapped it around my arm, and smashed my fist into the window. It took several hits until it finally cracked, then I gently pushed it, trying to get a good sized piece. Once I had one I jumped down, and ran back to Jesse, starting on his ties. I had both his feet free when the door flew open, and Rhodey’s thugs quickly grabbed me.   
“God you guys are a lot of work.” Rhodey complained.   
Jesse jerked the hand I’d been working on, freeing it, and sending an uppercut into Rhodey’s chin. I started to struggle so the thugs couldn’t help him. Rhodey stumbled back holding his chin, blood dribbled out of his mouth. Jesse stood, slamming the chair into Rhodey, who fell back, struggling to stay on his feet. But Jesse moved fast, hitting him again, then grabbing the gun that Rhodey pulled. Jesse shot a leg of each of the thugs, and they went down. I patted their pockets, found a pocketknife, and rushed to Jesse who was standing over Rhodey. I cut him loose.   
“Come on!” I demanded pulling on his arm.   
He just looked at Rhodey’s unconscious body for a second before finally following me. We ran through the abandoned factory, searching for an exit.   
“Here!” Jesse grabbed my arm directing me towards industrial doors. He pulled one open, and I went out, running into a giant man. Before Jesse could react the guy had me, and another smashed him in the side of the head with his weapon.   
“Damn it!” I screamed.   
Dino walked around the side of the building. “Finally.” He grinned. “Let’s get you home.”


	15. Chapter 15

The giant guy hauled me towards Dino, the other guy following. They shoved me into the trunk of one of their SUVs, and took off. I watched as we pulled away, leaving Jesse, unconscious, with a sure to be pissed off Rhodey. As we got onto the main rode I saw a becon of hope, the Caddy, Sam’s Caddy. It was following us, at a good distance, but definitely following. Hopefully that ment someone rescued Jesse. We arrived at a private airport, and I was shoved towards a small plane. The second I stepped onto the plane I heard shooting. When the giant man spun to protect Dino, I kicked him in the back of the knee, throwing all my weight into it. Luckily he fell out of the plane, and down a few stairs. I jumped over him. Dino and his other guys were nowhere in sight, but Sam’s Caddy pulled up and I ran to it.   
“C’mon!” Sam yelled.   
“I’m trying!” I jumped in behind Sam, and he floored it.   
“Did Mike get Jesse?”   
“Um.” He muttered. “That’s kinda our next stop. We had other problems. It seems The Shade sent a team after Dino because he wasn’t getting the job done, and they found out we tried to ‘rob’ them.”   
“So step on it Sam!”   
“Yeah.”   
We made it back, and Jesse was gone from the doorway.   
“Here.” Sam gave me a nine mill. loading his .45. “How many guys?”   
“Rhodey plus two, but Jesse shot them in their legs, so they shouldn’t be a big problem.”   
Sam cleared the first hall as we started through the factory. All of a sudden we heard loud cries of pain. Sam nodded to where it was coming from, and we ran towards it. We made it to the room, and Sam kicked in the door. I quickly went in. Rhodey was standing over Jesse with the nightstick raised, ready to shove it into Jesse. I shot his hand, and he dropped it, it landed on his foot shocking him.   
Sam smashed the back of his head, as I knelt beside Jesse.   
“Jesse are you ok? Say something.”   
“Aye, Cass.” He moaned.   
“Guys I hate to break up the reunion, but we should go, like now.” Sam insisted.   
“Can you stand?” I asked Jesse.   
He groaned as I helped him up, he just stood for a second, breathing heavy.   
Rhodey moaned on the floor.   
Sam was already heading out the door.   
“C’mon Jesse.”   
He reached to my hand that held the nine mill. I huffed, but handed it to him.   
“Now let’s go.” I went to take a step when Rhodey wrapped a hand around my ankle. I fell to one knee. Jesse put two rounds in his head, and Rhodey’s hand went limp.   
“I said if he ever laid a hand on you I’d shoot him.” Jesse’s mumbled. He put a hand down to help me up.   
I looked back at the man that used to be my best friend, then took Jesse’s hand.   
Jesse spent two days in the hospital which I spent in a chair by his side. When he was released I took him home, and took an hour long shower, trying to was away the memories. He was on the couch, his arm in a sling, Rhodey had dislocated his shoulder.   
“Come to bed, Jesse.” I kissed his cheek, which was covered in bruises. He followed me, and laid down with a groan. His ribs couldn’t be fixed, the doctor said they’d heal themselves.   
I laid next to him, holding his good arm. “I’m sorry, Jesse. I think I’m going to leave Miami. I can’t stay here and let you keep getting hurt for me.”   
He turned his head towards me. “You leaving me would hurt me more than anything some damn thugs could do.” He whispered.   
I turned and kissed him, tears covering my face.   
We woke the next morning to pounding on the door. Jesse jerked, and I grabbed his .45 from under the pillow heading for the door, he followed me grabbing a nine mill. from the tv stand. I looked through the peephole, waved him off, and opened the door.   
“Michael, Fiona.” I greeted.   
Michael took me in, I was just wearing one of Jesse’s t-shirts.   
“Are we interrupting something?” Fiona smirked.   
Jesse groaned from behind me as he sat at the island.   
“Won’t you come in?” I ignored her comment. I took the nine mill. from Jesse, retuned the pistols to their hiding places, coming back with a pair of yoga pants on under the shirt.   
“Please tell us you have good news.” Jesse inquired.   
“We do.” Michael started. “Dino is dead, The Shade got to him so he won’t be bothering us.”   
“Dino wasn’t really the main problem, Michael.” I mumbled.   
“Exactly, that’s why we’re blackmailing The Shade. I convinced them we had more than just their banking, and told them we’d take them down if they don’t give up on you.”   
“And they went for it?” Jesse asked.   
Michael nodded. “They know what Cassie is capable of.”   
“You’re free!” Fi smiled.   
I couldn’t help crying.   
Jesse pulled me into him with his good arm, grunting when I met his chest.   
I grabbed his face, kissing him deeply.   
When I pulled back, and saw Michael’s shocked face, I laughed.   
“Oh, yeah guys, this is happening.” Jesse smirked at me.   
“Since when?” Michael asked.   
Jesse shrugged. “Couple months.”   
“Months!” Michael’s mouth hung open.   
Fi just laughed at him, then hugged me and Jesse. “I’m so happy for you!”   
“Weren’t you just the one dogging me for ‘settling down’?” Michael joked.   
“I’m not the one with potpourri in my house.” Jesse laughed.   
“Yet.” Michael added.   
“I can’t thank you all enough.” I started. “I’m taking everyone to dinner tonight. Tell Sam to invite Elsa. As long as you feel ok Jesse?”   
“I’m fine.” He answered.   
“We’ll meet at seven at the loft.” Fi smiled.   
“Tell Maddie she’s invited, Michael.” I called after them as they left.   
I leaned into Jesse. “I love you so much.”   
“I love you. So the doctor gave me the day off...you wanna...”   
I pulled him towards the bedroom.   
He quickly shed his clothes, and I pushed him down. He grunted in pain, but grinned at me.   
I got on top of him, keeping my weight off his abdomen; I leaned down, and kissed him.   
He wrapped his arm around my waist.   
We stayed in bed until it was time to go.   
“The doctor said today was supposed to be for you to rest.” I smirked at him.   
“It’s your fault.”   
“My fault?”   
“You’re so damn sexy I can’t control myself, or you know, him.” He pointed down.   
I just laughed, and kissed him.   
We got to the loft at seven, and everyone was already there when we walked in. You could hear the thump of music from the club below.   
“You know this is the first time I’ve ever heard music in here.” Jesse stated.   
“That’s because you’re never here after seven.” Michael cringed.   
Jesse twirled me around, and pulled me against him. “May I have this dance?” He grinned.   
“Of course.” I leaned into him, resting my head on his chest.   
There was a flash as Madeline took a picture of us. She looked down at it. “That’s a good one.” She smiled. “Definitely frame worthy.”   
“Mom.” Michael groaned.   
“It’s fine Michael.” I said. “I need a picture of us...in fact.” I walked over to Madeline. “May I?”   
She handed me her camera.   
“Go.” I shooed her towards everyone else. “Closer.” I commanded.   
They all stood together, and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Jesse is my favorite character in Burn Notice so I had to write something about him having a love interest. Thanks for reading! Leave a comment with your thoughts.


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